Handbook of Teees of the Nurtjiekn States and Canada. 



The Easswood is one of the most abundant 

 and useful trees of eastern L^nited States and 

 Canada. In forest growth it has been known 

 to attain the lieight of l'.:.") ft. with straiglit 

 columnar trunk 3 to 4 ft. or more in diameter. 

 When growing apart from other trees it de- 

 velops a full ovoid or rounded top very un- 

 brageous on aceount of its many branches and 

 large leaves. It inhabits preferably rich moist 

 lull well drained slupes and bottom-lands, and 

 is a handsome and favorite tree at all seasons 

 of the year. It is espeeiallj- so in midsummer 

 when it dangles amid its ample foliage numer- 

 ous clusters of yellow fragrant llowers, which 

 perfume the atmos|ihere for some distance 

 about the tree and offer an abundance of nec- 

 tar from -which the honey bees make their 

 choicest honey. In autumn we see in the Bass- 

 M'uod a unique plan of nature to aid in the 

 scattering of its seeds. Each cluster of a half 

 dozen or so seeds is furnished with a special 

 seed-leaf, which serves as a parachute and so 

 retards their fall that the wind has an op- 

 portunity to carry them some distance away 

 before striking the ground. 



The wood is light, a eu. ft. weighing 28.20 



Ihs., siift and tough ;ind hirgdy used for fur- 



lulnrc, carriage-building, wooden "\^'are. ete.^ 



Tile fibrous inner hark furnishes valuable bast 



for mats, cordage, etc. 



T,rarr.9 ohlirinely oval. .^>-10 in. lonff, cordate .at 

 base, alirnptly aeuniinale, sharply glandidai'- 

 serrate. thick,' slatirous. dull dark "green above, 

 paler and glabrous or hairy in the axils of the 

 veins beneath. Floinrrs with pedunculate bract 

 -1-."t in. long, cymes drooping : sepals pubescent ; 

 petals slightly longer than the sepals and the 

 senlcs. /''r;//7'globose-ohlong. Ms-Vii in- in diameter, 

 rufous-toraentose.- 



1. A. W., I, ::!. 



-. Fur genus see pp. tts 4-10. 



