Handbook of TkEiES of the [Noktiieen States and Ca 



385 



The Black Ash is distinctly a northern 

 species, and in forests, under most favorable 

 conditions, attains the height of 80-90 ft., with 

 straight columnar trunk 3-4 ft. in diameter. 

 When isolated it develops a rounded ovoid top, 

 which may be recognized when leafless by its 

 stout straight branchlets (those of the stami- 

 nate tree being larger than of the pistillate) 

 and the gray scaly bark of trunk. 



It inhabits the low banks of streams and cold 

 swamps, in company with the Arbor-Vitte, 

 Balsam, Tamarack, Silver Maple, Black Spruce, 

 etc., sometimes forming a considerable portion 

 of forest tracts. 



Its wood is rather heavy, a cubic foot when 



dry w-eighing 38. .37 lbs., moderately hard and 



strong, and is valued in the manufacture of 



furniture and lumber for interior finishing, for 



barrel hoops, etc. It is extensively used in the 



manufacture of splints for baskets, owing to 



the facilitv' with wiiidi it splits between the 



layers of annua! growth. Tlie "Ash Burl" 



veneering is a product of this tree, being sliced 



from the "knots" or burls which form on its 



trunk and larger brandies. Their cause or 



origin is not well understood. - 



Leaves 10-10 in. Inns, wnth 7-11 oblong tn 

 oblong-lanceolate sessile leaflets, the terminal one 

 petiolulate, rounded or runeatc and nni'(|nal at 

 base, long-acLirainate at aiiex, sharply serrate, tn- 

 mentose at first but at matui-ity glabrous dark 

 green above, somewhat paler and glabrous with 

 rufous hairs along the midrib beneath. FloirrrK 

 polygamo-dioecious, calyx nrme ; petals none ; 

 stamens 2 sometimes rudimentary in the pistillate 

 flowers. Fruit samara. linear-oblong, 1-'iV2 in. 

 long. V^! in. broad, winged :ill around and wilh 

 flattened faintly-\-eiDnd bi.idy and thin wing 

 eraarginate at apex.^ 



1. K\'n. Fni.riiiiis f^diiibucifolui Lam. 

 2. .\. W.. III. e.-J 

 '.-J. tor genus see pp. 4.'i4-4."t.5. 



ZF5W 



