306 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 
conducted on a large scale in Europe, but has never attained 
any importance in the United States. The bast fiber is ob- 
tained by stripping the bark from the trees in the spring and 
soaking it until the mucilage that binds the layers together 1s 
soaked out. 
Tilia vulgaris. European Basswood. European Linden. 
Native of northern Europe, forming a large tree. The wood 
of this species is much like that of the American Basswood. 
The leaves, however, are smaller, and more regularly heart 
shaped. ‘The tree is compact in habit, and has numerous short, 
rather slender reddish twigs. There are many varieties. This 
species has been doing very well for about seven years in the 
forest plantation at the Minnesota Experiment Station, and 
seems to be of some value for this section. The varieties of 
the broad-leaved European Linden (T. Platyphyllos) have failed 
in this section, 
ELAEAGNACEAE, OLEASTER FAMILY. 
Genus EL HAGNUS. 
Shrubs or trees, silvery-scurfy or stellate pubescent with en- 
tire leaves and perfect or polygamous flowers. The lower part 
of the perianth of fertile flowers incloses the ovary, and ripens 
into a fleshy or mealy mass around the akene-like true fruit. 
The upper part is four-cleft and deciduous. Corolla none; 
stamens four, borne on the tube of the perianth. 
Eleagnus angustifolia. Russian Olive. 
Leaves narrowly lanceolate, two to three inches long, white- 
scurty on lower side, stellate pubescent on the upper. Perianth 
whitish outside and yellowish inside. 
Distribution.—Europe and Asia. 
Propagation.—By seeds, which grow readily, by layers and 
by autumn-made cuttings. 
Uses. —The Russian Olive is a very hardy small ornamental 
tree of very pretty habit, chiefly valued for the contrast it gives 
