Hakdbook of Treks of thk Xoetheex States and Canada. 2 45 



The Cock-spur Thorn is a low wide-spread- 

 ing tree with long tortuous horizontal or 

 drooping and very thorny brandies, forming a 

 low broad top, seldom more than 20 or 25 ft. 

 in height. The short trunk rarely exceeds 10 

 or 12 in. in diameter and is rough with scaly 

 gray -brown bark. It is one of the most strik- 

 ing and ornamental representatives of its genus 

 on account of its thick shining dark-green 

 leaves. The luster of these is seldom tarnished 

 by insect or blight, and they preserve a fresli- 

 ness throughout the season which is unsur- 

 passed by the leaves of any other tree. The 

 ample bunches of handsome flowers appear 

 after the leaves are fully grown, and then t'le 

 tree is an object of rare beauty. It is perhaps 

 more extensively planted both in this country 

 and in Europe for ornamental purposes than 

 any other American species, excepting perhaps 

 the Washington Haw, and it is also valued 

 for hedges. The name Newcastle Thorn has 

 been given to it on account of its abundant 

 use in hedges about Newcastle, Del. 



Its wood is heavy, hard, very fine-grained 



and suitable for tool handles. i 



LcarcFi mostly obovate. 1-4 in. long, cuneate and 

 entire at liase, acute or ronnded at apex, sliarplv 

 serrate-dentate, thiclc. coriaceous, lustrous darlf 

 sreen above, paler and prominently reticulate- 

 veined beneath, turning to orange and scarlet in 

 autumn : petioles stout. Flrnrer.^ opening in .Tune 

 % in. in diameter in many-flowered glabrous 

 corymbs : calyx with narrow obconic tube and 

 linear-lanceolate entire or glandular-serrate lobes ; 

 stamens 10. anthers rose-colored : styles usuallv 

 2. hairy at hasp. Fniit maturing in October and 

 often remaining on the branches until spHnu'. 

 subglobose or short-oblong, dull red with glaucous 

 bloom, with dry flesh and usually 2 nutlets \i in. 

 long, rounded at ends and ridged on the back.- 



1. A. W., IV, 85. 



2. For genus see p. 440. 



