267 



water-locust, button-bush, swell-butt ash, etc. It thrives equally well 

 on the high sandy ridges of Knox and Sullivan Counties. 



Remarks. — The fruit is edible and the horticultural possibilities 

 of this tree have never received the attention they deserve. The opin- 

 ion is current that the fruit does not ripen and is not edible until it is 

 subjected to a frost. This is an error. The best and largest fruit I 

 have ever eaten ripened without a frost. A large native tree on the 

 Forest llcserve in Clark Countj' ripens its fruit in August, which is of 

 an excellent quality and usually has only one, and rarely more than 

 three seeds. The fruit of this tree is of the oblong tj^pe. The fruit 

 varies much in size, time of ripening and quality. Some is scarcely 

 edible. Some of the native trees bear fruit when they are not over 

 eight feet tall, some are usuallj^ prolific bearers while others bear 

 sparingly. For this reason if one wishes to grow persimmon trees it 

 is best to buy grafted trees from some reliable nurseryman. The tree 

 is hardy throughout Indiana and while it is a very slow growing tree, 

 it can nevertheless be recommended for ornamental and roadside tree 

 planting. It is to be noted that cattle will not browse pei'simmon, 

 and that hogs greedily eat the ripe fruit. The fruit of many trees does 

 not fall until early winter, and such trees are a granary for several 

 kind of animals of the forest. 



The wood is hard, heavy, strong and close-grained. Practically the 

 whole output of persimmon lumber is used in making shuttles. In 

 Indiana the tree is too rare to furnish much lumber. 



OLEACAE. The Olive Family. 



Leaves compound; fruit dry, a samara 1 Fraxinus. 



Leaves simple: fruit fleshy, a drupe 2 Adelia. 



1. FRAXINUS. The Ashes. 



Trees with opposite, odd-pinnate leaves; flowers appear in April 

 or Maj' in clusters from the axils of last year's leaves, the staminate 

 and pistillate on different or sometimes on the same tree; fruit a 1- 

 seeded samara. 



Bark of mature trees furrowed; fruit not winged to the base. 

 Body of fruit robust, round and rather abruptly passing 

 into the wing; the body rarely winged I3 its length. 



Shoots and axis of leaves smooth IF. amerieana. 



Shoots and axis of leaves velvety pubescent, at least when 



young 2 F. biltmoreana. 



Body of fruit flattened and gradually passing into the wing; 

 the body usually winged more than I3 its length. 



