PREFACE 



ilHIS book is designed to describe all the kinds of trees known to grow 

 independently of planting in North America, north of the West Indies 

 and Mexico, and to illustrate them by figures showing the character of 

 foUage, flowers, and fruit; a number of photographs illustrating the 

 general aspect of certain species have also been reproduced by engraving. The 

 drawings have been made with very few exceptions from specimens in the museums 

 or herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden, and the descriptions have been 

 drawn up from these specimens and from field observations. The Jesup collection 

 of North' American woods at the American Museum of Natural History has fur- 

 nished much information relative to characteristics of woods and barks. 



While descriptions of trees necessitate the use of some technical terms, it has 

 been sought to reduce these to as small a number as possible, in order that the 

 book shall be available, not alone to persons trained in botany, but to any person 

 of ordinary information; for convenience of use, a glossary of special terms em- 

 ployed is appended. 



Trees are woody plants which have a single erect stem or trunk, and this feature 

 distinguishes them from shrubs, which have several or many stems arising from 

 the same roots; some kinds of woody plants fall into both categories, at times 

 developing to a single stem, at others forming several, so they may properly be 

 classified as both, or either, trees or shrubs. As a general rule trees are much 

 larger than shrubs, but there are exceptions, and we have to deal both with small 

 trees and with large shrubs. All species which are known to us to become trees 

 have been admitted, even if they are almost always shrubs. 



The relationships of the native and naturalized trees of North America to those 

 of other parts of the world are discussed, and the products of trees useful in the arts, 

 sciences, and industries are mentioned or described. 



It is believed that the descriptions and illustrations will render easy the identi- 

 fication of our trees by their fohage, flowers, or fruit. 



The illustrations used have been obtained as follows: 



Figures 2, 30, 50, 91, 190, 236, 306, 348, 365, 541, 682, 739, and 779 are from 

 photograghs by Mr. F. C. Berte. 



Figures 27, 106, no, 265, 334, 506, 567, 657, 755, and 762 are from photographs 

 by Dr. Marshg;ll A. Howe. 



Figures 32, 129, 139, 145, 148, 149, 205, 207, 211, 212, 214, 216, 234, 245, 333, 

 335. 33^, 340, 345. 35°, 35^. 357 to 360, 470, 475, 476, 478 to 481, 483 to 489, 491 to 

 493, 495, 496, 498, .501 to 505, 507, and 540 are from drawings by Mr. A. Meriolle. 



Figure 78 is from a photograph by Mr. W. F. Ballou. 



Figure 102 is from a photograph by Professor W. M. Wheeler. 



Figure 105 is from a photograph by Dr. D. T. MacDougal. 



Figure 107 is from a photograph furnished by Professor F. S. Earle. 



