TREES AND SHRUBS 129i 



purposes as grows native in the State, and its value is ap- 

 preciated in the Mesilla valley where it is used quite extensive- 

 ly. The common name is a local one and -does' not refer to- 

 the shrub which ordinarily goes under that name in the east- 

 ern and central states (Sorbus Am 'eric ana). "It is a true 

 ash. It naturally grows in the rocky canons and dry water 

 courses of the warmer more barren portions of the mountains,, 

 and here it attains a height of thirty 'to fdrty feet. The trunk: 

 is straight; the bark is a light brownish-gray and quite smooth 

 even in good sized trees ; the branches grbw obliquely upward 

 with rather a sharp angle and are stiff enough to bear their 

 own weight thus giving the tree a symmetrical head. The 

 foliage is rather pale green, not very dense, appears rather 

 late in spring, and is rarely ever hurt by late frosts. While 

 not as rapid a grower as the valley^ cottonwood, the mountain 

 ash is a vigorous and healthy tree in cultivation. The mistle- 

 toe attacks it but slightly and the winged fruits are never 

 sufficiently abundant to be a nuisance. Young trees may be 

 obtained in the canons of nearly any of the mountains in 

 southern New Mexico at altitudes below 6,500 feet are are 

 easily transplanted any time when the leaves are off. 



There are two other species to be found in the mountains 

 of the state. 



The Dogwood Family (Cornaceae) is represented in 

 New Mexico by a single species of Cornel, which is Svida 

 stolonifcra riparia, which is a reddish-stemmed shrub common 

 in the higher mountains ; and 2 species of Garrya. One of the 

 latter (Garrya wrightii) is an evergreen shrub about 8 to 10 

 feet high, with numerous leathery clear green leaves and in- 

 conspicuous flowers, followed by blue-black berry-like fruits 

 the size of currants. This shrub is a very symmetrical plant, 

 and is quite resistant to drought when once established. Re- 

 peated efforts to bring it from the foothills of the mountains, 

 where it is thoroughly at home, to the mesa soils near the 

 valley have invariably resulted in failure. Attempts to grow 



