Handbook of Teees of the ISToETiiEKjsr States and Canada. 243 



The Service-bevry is \isually a small tree but 

 occasionally individuals are found 40 or 50 ft. 

 in height with trunk from 18 in. to 2 ft. in 

 diameter, and oblong or spreading rounded top 

 with many small limbs and fine branchlets. 



It inhabits well drained slopes and uplands 

 in company with the Quaking Asp, Hemlock, 

 White and Red Oaks, Sugar Maple, Hackberry, 

 etc., and in mid-spring, when its top becomes a. 

 veritable cloud of white flowers, it is one of 

 the most beautiful and conspicuous objects in 

 the regions in which it dwells. It is the sea- 

 son then when the shad come up the rivers from 

 the sea to spawn, and hence the association of 

 its flowers with the shad in its names of 

 Shad-bush and Shad-blow. In June and July 

 its ripened fruit is eagerly sought by the 

 birds and should they spare us any it is found 

 to be juicy and delicious. 



The wood of the Service-berr5^ of which a 

 cubic foot weighs when absolutely dry 48.85 

 lbs., is heavy, hard, very strong and close 

 grained, valuable in turnery for the manufac- 

 ture of tool handles and, under the name of 

 " Lance-wood," is used in the manufacture of 

 fish rods.i 



Lrares ovate to ovate-oblons:, 2^^-4 in. lonff, 

 mostly rounded or cordate at base, acute or acumi- 

 nate at apex, finely serrate with long pointed 

 teetli, reddish and covered with white hair.s when 

 the.v unfold, at maturity g:labrous, dark green 

 above, paler beneath, turnina: yellow in autumn ; 

 petioles slender. FJowrrs, when the leaves are 

 about 1-.3 grown, in erect or nodding glabrous 

 racemes, ZVz-i in. long, with slender pedicels 

 bearing each two silky deciduous bracts ; calyx 

 villous inside ; petals narrow obovate. Fruit sub- 

 globose. 14-^/^ in. in diameter, dark purple, 

 glaucous.^ 



1. Syn. .1. Botryoiyium (L. f. ) deC. 



2. A. W., HI, 59. 



3. For genus see pp. 439-440. 



