170 THE TREE BOOK 



grown extensively for stakes and poles, and for 

 the fodder provided by its young leaves and 

 shoots. Foresters regard the yellow locust as 

 a good nurse, because it is favorable to the 

 growth of seedUng trees beneath its branches. 

 This is due partly to its thin light foliage, and 

 partly to its leaves drooping sleepily in a rain, 

 thus allowing plenty of moisture to reach the 

 ground. The leaves of the yellow locust appear 

 late in the spring. They are silvery green at 

 first, because of their covering of down. This 

 soon shrivels, leaving the leaf dark green and 

 smooth. Each leaf-stalk is composed of from 

 eleven to twenty-five oval leaflets, rounded at 

 both ends and occasionally tipped with the end 

 of the midrib. The white fragrant blossom 

 clusters are very like those of the sweet pea. 

 So bountifully are the trees covered, in May or 

 early June, that at a little distance they look 

 white rather than green. The bees love the 

 honey-like odor of the locust blossoms, and hum 

 busily among them, giving good service for the 

 nectar they sip. By fertilizing the flowers they 

 increase the number of seeds and so add to the 

 world's supply of locust trees. The pods are 

 thin and tapering and contain from four to six 

 brown seeds. They hang on the trees all win- 

 ter. This locust is of rapid growth, and sends 



