180 



WOOD AND FOREST. 



62 



Sour Gum. Tupelo. 



Tupelo, the Indian name. 



Pepperidge. BIvAck Gum. 



Habitat. 



Nyssa sylvaUca Marshal. 



Nyssa, from Nysa, the realm of moist vegetation and the home of 

 Dio-nysus (Bacchus) (the tree grows in low wet lands); sylcatica, refers 

 to its habit of forest giowth. 



Habitat: (See map); 

 best in Soiitlicrn Appala- 

 cliian mountains. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree : Height, 40'-.50', 

 even 100' : diameter, 1"- 

 6", even 5' ; variable in 

 form; bark, brown, deeply 

 fissnred and seal}'; leaves, 

 in sprays, short, petioled, 

 brilliant scarlet in au- 

 tumn; fruit, liluish black, 

 sour, fleshy drupe. 



Appearance of Wood: 



Color, pale yellow, sap- 

 wood, white, hardly dis- 

 tinguisjiable ; diffuse-por- 

 ous ; rings, not plain ; 

 grain fine, twisted and in- 

 ter-^voven ; rays, numer- 

 ous, thin. 



Physical Qualities : 



]\re(lium heavy (25th in 

 this list). 39 lbs. per cu. 

 ft; sp. gr., 0.6356; 



Leaf. 



