Handbook of Teees of the Noetheen States and Canada. 337 



The Box-Elder attains a height of from 50 to 

 75 ft. with rather wide-spreading top and short 

 trunk 2-4 ft. in diameter. It ranges from the 

 western slopes of the Alleghany Mountains 

 to the limits of tree growth on the western 

 planes. Occupying the banks of streams, lake 

 shores and low bottom-lands, it is one of the 

 most generally distributed and abundant trees 

 throughout all tliis range, but is rare east of 

 the Alleghanies. Its handsome foliage, rapidity 

 of growth and unusual ability to withstand 

 drouth make it very popular for planting as 

 a shade-tree in the cities and towns of mid- 

 continental regions, where it ornaments the 

 streets and door-yards of many homes. Several 

 nursery varieties have appeared which have 

 won popularity both in this and European 

 countries. 



The wood of the Box-Elder is light, a cu, ft. 

 when absolutely dry weighing 26.97 lbs., soft, 

 close-grained, easily worked and is used in the 

 manufacture of wooden-ware, lumber for in- 

 terior finishing and paper pulp.^ From its sap 

 sugar is sometimes made. 



Leaves .^-5-foliate with ovate to oval leaflets, 

 from cuneate to subcordate and entire at base, re- 

 motely and irregularly serrate or lobed ahoyp, 

 tomentose at first but at maturity green above, 

 paler and hairy in the axils beneath, thin, turniuij 

 yellow in the autumn. Flotoers dioecious, very- 

 small, appearing before the leaves, yellowish 

 green ; the staminate in fascicles with very .slender 

 pedicels 1-2 in. long ; the pistillate in narrow"' 

 racemes. Fruit: samaras, glabrous, li/,-2 in. 

 long, somewhat incurved, in drooping racemes 6-8 

 in. long, falling in autumn but stems commonly 

 persisting until sprin'^. 



Var. CaUfornicii ( T. & G.) Sarg.. is tri-toliato 

 with more coarsely dentate leaflets, pale tomentose 

 beneath. 



1. Syn. Negundo aceroides Moench. 



2. A. W., Ill, 54. 



