LOCUST. 833 
dead appearance. It is one of the latest trees to leaf out, and 
the new growth is strikingly pretty. The leaflets near the ends 
of the leaves are bright pink, while those that opened first are 
green or bronze colored. The young leaves in June are a rich 
brown color. It is very hardy, and is not particular about the 
soil in which it grows, but attains a large size only in rich, deep, 
moist soils. The wood is occasionally used in cabinet making 
and for fence posts, rails and in construction. As the name 
implies the seed has sometimes been used as a substitute for 
coffee. Its chief value is for ornament. 
Genus ROBINIA. 
Robinia pseudacacia. Locust. Yellow Locust. Black 
Locust. Common Locust. False Acacia. 
Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, composed of from 
aine to seventeen leaflets. Flowers white, fragrant, in con- 
spicuous pendulous racemes three to five inches long appear- 
ing in Jatter part of May or early in June. Pods flat, four to 
five inches long, containing about six hard, small and rather flat 
seeds, which ripen in late autumn and often hang on the tree 
all winter. The light, handsome foliage of this tree constitutes 
one of its principal charms; the leaves open during the day 
and as night comes on close down as if for rest. The young 
growth is usually furnished with strong recurved prickles, 
though trees can frequently be found that are entirely free from 
them, and it is this latter form that is used in some European 
countries as fodder for cattle. A siender forest tree, occasion- 
ally reaching the height of sixty or seventy feet and a diameter 
of two feet. 
Distribution.—Southern Pennsylvania to Indiana, Iowa and 
southward. Under cultivation it has become widely distributed. 
In Minnesota it is found along the Mississippi river as far north 
as Minneapolis, and occasionally elsewhere in this state, some- 
times forming trees fifty feet or more in height, but generally 
it is much smaller, and often forms mere thickets which are oc- 
casionally killed back in severe winters. 
Propagation—The Locust is grown from seeds, which may 
be gathered in the pods, kept in any dry place, and planted in 
the spring. Just before planting the seeds should be scalded 
