Handbook of Tee.es of the ISTokthekn States and Canada. 



39 



This valuable and majestic tree occasionally 

 attains the height of 150 ft. with a trunk 8 or 

 10 ft. in diameter. When young in develops 

 a symmetrical pyramidal top with upturned 

 branches and drooping branchlets, but the old 

 forest monarchs are more like inverted pyra- 

 n.ids in shape, with wide and flat or slightly 

 rounded tops narowing down to long naked 

 trunks. Its trunk is very wide and strongly 

 buttressed at base, especially when growing in 

 water or wet localities, and there it also sends 

 up from its roots steeple-shaped projections 

 known as " knees," the functions of which 

 seem to be mechanical — to anchor the tree 

 more firmly in the loose soil in which it grows. 

 In the southern part 'of its range it occupies 

 vast tracts of swampy lands, either forming 

 nearly exclusive forests or in company with the 

 Tupelos, Sweet Gum, Water Locust, Red Bay, 

 etc. To the northward it is less abundant and 

 is found in company with various swamp- 

 loving trees. 



Its wood, of which a cubic foot when abso- 

 lutely dry weighs 28. .31 lbs., is one of the great 

 resources of the southern states being highly 

 valued for railway ties; posts, shingles, lumber 

 for general construction purposes, etc. Its 

 great durability, immunity from the atticks of 

 parasites and non-liability to great shrinking 

 or warping make it one of our most valuable 

 woods for all wood-work exposed to tlie 

 weather, for tank construction, cooperage, etc. 

 Its value for the latter use is enhanced by its 

 comparative freedom from coloring or flavor- 

 ing ingredients. 1 



Leaves V2-% in. long, thin, apiculated, rather 

 light yellow green, deciduous and forming a flat 

 spray of which the branchlets are also deciduous ; 

 shorter scale-like leaves on flowering branches. 

 Flowers: staminate in panicles 4-.5 in. long; flower- 

 buds nearly i/s in- long, purple at maturity. Cones 

 subglobose, about 1 in. in diameter, usually few 

 together at the end of the branch. - 



1. A. W., V, 119. 



2. For genus see p. 421. 



