8ASSAFEAS. 75 



In this State it is a small tree or shrub, and occurs in the coastal 

 plain region. Old trees over 8 inches in diameter are frequently 

 hollow. 



The oblong entire evergreen leaves are 2 to 3 inches long and^ 

 like the twigs, have an aromatic odor when bruised. The flowers 

 are small and in close panicles, and the fruit is an ovate 1-seeded 

 deep blue drupe. The small dark brown winter-buds and dark 

 twigs are downy. The red bay has a lateral root system. • 



The wood is heavy, hard, very strong, brittle, very close-grained,, 

 and compact; bright red in color; the sapwood much lighter. It 

 takes a beautiful polish, and was formerly somewhat used in ship- 

 building, interior finish and cabinet work. 



Sassafras sassafras, Karsten. 



(SASSAFRAS.) 



A large tree, with green or yellowish-green branchlets and fur- 

 jowed gray bark. It sometimes reaches a height of 90 and a diam- 

 eter of 7 feet, but is reduced to a shrub at its northern limit. 



It occurs from eastern Massachusetts and southwestern Ver- 

 mont, west through southern Ontario and central Michigan, to- 

 southeastern Iowa, eastern Kansas, and Indian Territory, and 

 south to middle Florida and the valley of the Brazos river, Texas ; 

 reaching its best development in southwestern Arkansas and 

 Indian Territory. 



In this State, where it rarely exceeds 40 to 50 feet in height, it 

 is most common in the coastal plain and Piedmont plateau regions, 

 and rare on the higher slopes of the mountains. 



Seed is produced at frequent intervals, and young seedlings are 

 common in old fields when protected from fire. Sprouts spring 

 readily from the stumps of young trees and from the spreading 

 roots, and in many cases become large trees. 



The leaves are very variable, being ovate and entire, or 2 to 

 3-lobed. The greenish-yellow clustered flowers appear in early 

 spring, the sterile and fertile on separate trees, and the bval fruit 

 is blue in color, with a thick reddish stem. The egg-shaped, win- 

 ter-buds are large. 



