58 SHADE TREES FOR NORTH CAROLINA. 



and an age of 50 or 60 years. The trunk, which is inclined to be 

 crooked, usually passes well up in the crown before dividing. The crown 

 is narrowly oval, becoming broader in old trees and the compound foliage 

 is light, airy and graceful. The locust bears large drooping clusters of 

 white fragrant flowers in early spring. It stands pruning extremely well. 

 The root system is shallow and the tree is therefore very easily trans- 

 planted. The foliage is attacked by several insects, though rarely badly 

 damaged ; and the trunks of trees are subject to the attack of a species of 

 polyporus which destroys the heartwood and weakens the stem. For this 

 reason exposed wood, although the surface is very small, should be care- 

 fully painted, for since the sapwood is only a few rings thick, the heart- 

 wood will usually be exposed even when small limbs are removed. The 

 roots are apt to produce suckers which should be promptly removed. It 

 can be propagated either by seed or from suckers. 



The locust makes a desirable tree for planting in many places in the 

 middle and western portions of the State and, while not well adapted to 

 prolonged lines, on account of the attention it requires, its beautiful 

 foliage and fragrant white flowers make it occasionally desirable. There 

 are many handsome trees in Salisbury where it was formerly more exten- 

 sively used than at present. Trees should be spaced 35 feet. 



Red-bud (Cercis canadensis) , a common native tree of small size, which 

 has an abundance of small dark rose flowers along its thin, sinuous 

 branches in March before the leaves appear. It is easily transplanted and 

 stands trimming very well, which is seldom necessary, as its small, broad, 

 flattened crown is usually well shaped and requires little attention. It is 

 too small to be used alone as a shade tree but could serviceably be used 

 in alternation with standard trees in parking strips. 



Honet Locust (Gleditschia triacanthos) , a well known extensively 

 naturalized tree, which forms a stout trunk and a large spreading crown 

 of numerous tortuous branches and twigs. The thin, light green, finely 

 divided foliage is extremely attractive. For street trees the thorny stems 

 and large pods render it objectionable, but it is well suited for roads and 

 parks. It is easily transplanted, having a shallow, fibrous root system, 

 stands pruning well and is readily propagated from seed. 



Mimosa Tree (Albizzia or Acacia), a native of southern Asia, has been 

 extensively naturalized in middle and eastern Carolina. It is of small 

 :-i/<\ seldom more than 25 feet in height, nor does it make an old tree. 

 Specimens 30 years old are usually well passed their prime. The trunk 

 is short, unless carefully lengthened and the broad flattened crown is 

 much lil:>' that of the umbrella tree, although the branches are loss nu- 



