CHAPTER XXXV. 
THE FRINGE-TREE. 
Its Limited Height.—Its Native Range and Ornamental Value.—Its 
Floral Productiveness.—Its Variety of Name.—Its Classified Be- 
longings.—Its Medicinal and other Properties—Its Possible Perfect- 
ness by Grafting.—The Iron-Wood.— Where Belonging. —Height of 
Tree, Uses and Durability of its Wood.—Manner of Growth.—Its 
Disadvantages as a Timber Tree. 
THE FRINGE-TREE. 
Tuis tree only reaches from twenty to thirty feet in 
height, but bears flowers when only four or five feet 
high. It is native from Pennsylvania to the Gulf of 
Mexico, but is quite hardy farther north. As an orna- 
mental tree it is a perfect success, but it does not remain 
in bloom for any period of time. It blossoms in June, 
and has beautiful purple, berry-like flowers that grow in 
clusters ; its petals very much resemble fringe cut from 
white paper. It is known by various names; among 
which are snowflower-tree, snowdrop-tree, broad-leaved 
Virginian snowflower-tree, narrow-leaved Virginian 
snowflower-tree, and seaside-inhabiting Virginian snow- 
flower-tree. This latter is a native of North America, 
and grows in boggy woods by the seaside. 
The order to which this tree belongs embraces some 
trees and shrubs that are native to both hemispheres, 
and are for the most part deciduous. Some are timber 
trees, some are medicinal, which in general are bitter; 
one genus produces a valuable oil, and from others is pro- 
duced the sweet, purgative manna. As most of the trees 
of this order might be grafted on one another, it is prob- 
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