Handbook of Tkees of the ISTortiieen States and Canada. 401 



The beautiful Friuge-trco rarely attains a 

 greater size than 25 or 30 ft. in lieight and 

 8 to lU in. in diameter of trunk, and is often 

 a shrub sending up several stout spreading 

 stems from a ooranion base. \Ylien isolated it 

 develops a low rounded or oblong top of tortu- 

 ous branches. It inhabits rich moist soil of 

 sheltered ravines and the banks of streams, 

 and is a tree of singular beauty in May and 

 June, when its light green foliage is inter- 

 spersed with numerous tassel-like or fringe-like 

 flowers of snowy whiteness, very different from 

 the flowers of all other trees. 



There are several names by which the tree 

 is known, as Old Man's Beard, Grandfather 

 Orayheard, l^unfloiccr Tree, Snoir-floicer Tree, 

 Flowering Ash, etc., all allmliiig to its singular 

 flowers. On account of these and its hand-ome 

 foliage it is popular as an ornamental shade- 

 tree throughout eastern United States and 

 Europe, and proves hardy considerably north 

 of its native range. 



Tlie wood is moderately light, a cubic foot 

 when absolutely dry weighing .'50.71 lbs., hard 

 and close-grained, though of no coinm'U'icial 

 importance. The bark is used in nu-'dicine as 

 a tonic, aperient and diuretic. 



LeavcH ottlon.!:; f-r sonictiim 

 4-8 in. lon.i;, euncafc al- ha: 

 acuminate at apex, intiiv. 

 glabrous aI:>ovp. velvety pulics 

 turit.v dark-grcon alni\-e. pnlrr 

 on tlic conspicuinis ari'iiaf 

 (May-.Tunc), dolicati', fnu 

 panicles with sessi' 



ovate or otjovate, 



■. mostl.v acute or 



when they unfold 



■nt beneath, at ma- 



and glabrous except 



laiiB beneath. Floivrrs 



nl. in slender drooping 



t-like persistent t)racts 



petals 1 in. lone, white. ].ur|)le-spottPd withm at 

 base. Fruit ripe in Si'iileiiiber, %-% in. long, 

 dark blue with glaucous bloom and thm pulp' 



1. For gciii 



p. 4 



