96 FOREST TREES. 
GYMNOCLADUS—KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE. 
Flowers, dicecious, regular; calyx, tubular below; 
five-cleft; petals, five, oblong, equal, inserted on the 
summit of the calyx tube; stamens, ten, distinct, 
short, inserted with the petals; pod, oblong, flat- 
‘tened, hard, pulpy inside; several seeded. 
Gymnocladus Canadensis, is the only species of 
this genus growing in the United States—I think, 
the only one known. It is found from Canada and 
Western New York to Louisiana, and grows only in 
the richest lands. It is a lofty tree, but slender in 
proportion to its height. The leaves are doubly pin- 
nate, two or three feet in length. It is a very beau- 
tiful tree, and is cultivated in the Atlantic States for 
ornament. Its appearance in winter is peculiar, from 
the fewness of its branches and the large size of its 
terminal shoots—which is, perhaps, the origin of its 
French name, Chicot, Stump Tree. 
The wood of the Coffee Tree is of a rosy color; it 
is fine grained, compact, strong and durable. It is 
very suitable for cabinet work, and is esteemed for 
building. Its use, however, is very limited, on 
account of its scarcity in the greater part of the 
countries where it is native. The timber, even of 
young trees, contains a very small proportion of sap 
wood. Itis of rapid growth, and its valuable prop- 
erties recommend it for forest culture in suitable 
situations. A deep, rich soil is requisite to insure its 
full development. 
The barren and fertile flowers are produced on dif- 
ferent trees. The seeds are large, growing in a large 
