165 



beneath, the midrib and two lateral veins usually prominent beneath; 

 petioles 0.5-5 cm. long, hairy at first, becoming smooth or more often 

 retaining some pubescence; flo^¥ers appear before or with the leaves in 

 April or May, small, yellow or greenish, the male and female generally 

 on different trees, on racemes up to 4 cm. long; flower stalks usually 

 pubescent, sometimes smooth; fruit an oblong, blue-black, glaucous 

 berry which matures late in summer; fruit generally 7-10 mm. long, on a 

 stalk including the pedicel and raceme up to 9 cm. long. 



Distribution. — Maine, southern Ontario to Iowa and south to 

 Florida and west to Texas. No doubt it was formerly found in every 

 countjr of Indiana. In the northern part of the State it is more local in 

 its distribution than in the southern counties. In the northern counties 

 where it is local it is found in colonies on sandy or clayey ridges. Sassa- 

 fras is usuall}^ considered an indicator of poorer soils, hence, in the 

 central counties it is often very local. It is frequent to common through- 

 out the hillj^ counties of the southern part of the State. In this part of 

 the State it becomes a pernicious weed tree. It soon invades fence rows 

 and fallow fields, and is extremely difficult to kill out. It is rarely found 

 in wet situations; however, in Sullivan and Clay Counties large trees 

 have been observed in low alluvial ground, associated with the white 

 elm, etc. 



Remarks. — Wood light, soft, coarse-grained, aromatic, heartwood 

 brownish. In our area sassafras wood is used principally for posts and 

 crossties. The roots contain a volatile oil which is much used in mcdi- 

 icine and perfumery. Everj;' one is familiar with the sassfras peddler 

 who in the Spring sells a small bundle of roots or bark for making 

 sassafras tea. The tea is reputed "to thin the blood." The aromatic 

 character of the wood led the earliest inhabitants to attribute many 

 medicinal and other qualities to the wood which, in man}' instances 

 bordered on superstition. In some of the southern States bedsteads 

 were made of sassafras with the belief that they would produce sounder 

 sleep. Floors were made of sassafras to keep out the rats and mice. 

 Perches of chicken houses were made of sassafras poles to keep off the 

 lice. To successfully make soap, it was necessary to stir the contents 

 of the kettle with a sassafras stick. 



The sassafras is usually about one-fourth of a meter in diameter. 

 However, on the Charles Hole farm about three miles southeast of 

 Butlerville grew two of the largest trees of which we have record. The 

 trees grew within seven meters of each other on a slope now grown up 

 with large sugar maple. They were cut by Mr. Hole's father, on whose 

 farm they were located. The largest was cut in the later sixties and the 

 smaller in the early seventies. The stumps were seen by the writer in 



