92 ECONOMIC WOODS OF THE UNITED STATES 



coarse. Color light cherry-red to reddish- 

 brown. No small pin knots due to thorns. 

 Kentucky Coffee Tree,* Gymnocladus dioicus 

 Koch, or G. canadensis Lam. (C). (Plate III, 

 Fig. 5.) 

 b 5 Pores in outer portion of late wood minute 

 and usually in groups of 10-25; individual 

 pores mostly invisible under lens. Sapwood 

 thick. Texture moderately coarse. Color 

 as above. Small pin knots due to thorns 

 common. Honey or Sweet Locust, Thorn 

 Tree, Gleditsia triacanthos L. (C, S). (Plate 

 III, Fig. 6.) 

 b 2 Woods light and soft. Odor characteristic. Color 

 not pronounced; mostly light brown. Tyloses 

 present. 



a 3 Rays fine but very distinct. Odor aromatic or 

 spicy, usually pronounced. Color light orange- 

 brown. Texture coarse. Sp. gr. about 50. Vessels 

 without spirals; perforations simple; pits into ray cells half- 

 bordered or simple. Rays heterogeneous (Fig. 3, A, p. 

 24). Sassafras, Sassafras variifolium (Salisb.) 

 Ktze., or S. sassafras Karst. (S, C). 39 

 b 3 Rays indistinct without lens. Odor mild, some- 

 what suggesting kerosene. Color light brown to 

 chestnut, appearing somewhat bluish on ends of 

 specimen. Texture rather fine. Wood lighter 

 and softer than preceding; sp. gr. 40-45. Small 

 vessels with spirals; all perforations simple; pits into ray 

 cells half-bordered or simple. Rays heterogeneous. Com- 

 mon Catalpa or Indian Bean, Catalpa bignoniodes 

 Walt., or C. catalpa (L.) Karst. (C, S); Hardy 

 Catalpa, C. speciosa Ward. (C). 40 

 b Pores in late wood few, solitary, or sub-divided radially 

 into 2-4. Woods odorless and tasteless. f 



* This tree is sometimes called "mahogany" in eastern U. S. 



t In this group of woods, which includes ash, persimmon and hickory, the 

 sapwood, which is wide and white is more commonly employed than the heart- 

 wood for such purposes as implement stock (ash), tool handles and wheel stock 

 (hickory), and shuttles (persimmon). 



