broom band] curled maple is obtained from old trees with 



undulating fibres. When treated with sulphuric acid and linseed 

 oil, it displays varying shades of color, which equal in lustre the 

 my. It is now principally applied for stocks of rifles 

 and fowling pieces. 



The common American alder (alnus serrulate) is a branching 

 shru low wet soils, and is extremely common in North 



tisiana The catkins form early in spring, and remain naked 



through the summer and the following winter, and expand next 



It is said that charcoal made from alder wood is highly 



led in the manufacture of gunpowder. Every part of the plant, 

 especially the bark and cones, are astringent and somewhat bitter. 

 They have been used in intermittent and topical applications. The 

 cents are also used in dying, and the leaves and bark in tanning. 

 The wood, though soft and light, if kept submersed or buried in 

 damp earth, is very endurable, and the young branches are on this 

 account used for the purpose of filling in drains. 



The hornbeam, iron wood (carpinus Americana), a small tree, is 



common on the banks of water courses. It is of a very slow growth; 



:unk is rigid, covered with smooth, ash-colored bark. Its wood 



is exceedingly hard and close-grained, and is sometimes employed 



inrners for fancy work or for purposes which require compact- 

 ness and solidity. 



The persimmon (diospyros Virginiana) is a small tree about 



ttty or thirty feet high. This is one of the trees that has the 

 male and female flowers, which are small and of a greenish yellow, 

 on different trees. The fruit is not palatable till late in the fall, and 

 when fully mature is distinguished by a peculiar taste, the native 



:ingency being softened by a pungent sweetness which is not 

 unpleasant. If cultivated with care desirable varieties of date piums 

 might be produced, that would be as superior to the native persim- 

 mon as the pippin is to the crab apple. The heart wood of the 

 persimmon tree is brown, hard, compact and elastic, but liable to 

 Bplit w% mallets, shoe lasts and wedges have been made of it. 



It has also been employed by coachmakers for shafts of oarriaf 

 The inner bark is very bitter, and has been used in intermittents. 

 Michaux tells us that in the Western States the persimmon is made 

 into cakes with bran, and s beer is thus prepared from it with the 



