OLIVE FAMILY 



four-angled and four-winged branchiets. Its samaras resem- 

 ble those of the Black Ash, in that the broad wing \vholi_v 

 surrounds the long llat body. Its wood has the qualities of 

 the other ashes and prcbablv is not distinguished comnier- 

 ciall_v from them. The tree is recommended for park plant- 

 ing as it is hardy and grows rapidly, and its foliage is a rich, 

 dark, shining green. 



The inner bark yields a blue color to water, whence its 

 common name. 



BLACK ASH 



Frdxijiiis tili^^rn. /''ya.riuns Siinibnti/oHa . 



A tall, slender tree, with narrow head of slender upright branches. 

 Loves deep cold swamps and muddy banks of streams. Is distrib- 

 uted from Newfoundland to Manitoba, southward to Delaware and 

 \'irginia. 



Bark. — Granite gray, fissured, surface scaly. Branchiets stout, 

 terete, dark green at first, later ashy gra\- or yellowish, finally dark 

 gray. 



Wood. — Dark brown, sapwood light brown or white ; heavy, 

 rather soft, tough, coarse-grained. Used for barrel hoops, baskets, 

 cabinetwork and interior of houses. Sp. gr., 0.631S ; weight of cu. 

 ft., 39.37 lbs. 



ll'iii/or Buds. — Dark, almost black, o\'ate. acute at apex ; outer 

 scales fall when spring growth begins, inner scales enlarge and be 

 come green. 



I.oa7'os. — Opposite, pinnately compound, twelve to sixteen inches 

 long. Leaflets seven to eleven, sessile except the terminal, oblong 

 or oblong-lanceolate, three to five inches long, one to two inches 

 wide, unequally wedge-shaped or roimded at base, slightly serrate, 

 acute or acuminate. They come out of the bud conduplicate, 

 downy with rusty hairs, when full grown dark green, smooth above, 

 paler beneath and smooth, except the midrdj which is hairy. Feather- 

 veined, midrib and primary \eins conspicuous. In autumn they 

 turn rusty brown and fall early. Petioles smooth, swollen at base, 

 flattened or grooved. 



f/ozoors. — May, before the leaves. Polygamous, without cal\ x or 

 corolla. Borne in lengthened panicles four or five inches long wliich 

 are opposite, single or in threes, in the axils of last year's leaves, 

 many-bracted. Stannnate flowers are borne on separate trees or 

 inixed with perfect flowers on trees which produce pistillate ones. 



218 



