AMERICAN NETTLE TREE. 
adopted, and among the French of Illinois, that of Bois inconnu , Unknown 
wood. 
The Nettle Tree prefers a cool and shady situation, with a deep and 
fertile soil : I have observed the largest stocks on the banks of the Savan- 
nah, some of which were 60 or 70 feet high and 18 or 20 inches in diame- 
ter. This species is similar in its foliage and general appearance to the 
European Nettle Tree; the branches of both are numerous and slender, 
and the limbs take their rise at a small distance from the ground and seek 
a horizontal or an inclined direction. The leaves are alternate, about 3 
inches long, of a dark green color, oyal-oblique at the base, very acumi- 
nate at the summit, denticulated, and somewhat rough. The flowers open 
early in the spring, and are small, white, single and axillary : the fruit, 
also, is small and single, of a round form, and of a dull red color. 
The bark is rough and entire upon the trunk, and smooth and even on 
the secondary branches. I have never seen the wood employed in any 
part of the United States and cannot speak of its uses ; as the American 
and European species are analogous in other respects, they are probably 
alike in the properties of their wood. 
The European Nettle Tree is a robust vegetable, which endures the most 
inclement weather, bears transplanting without injury, and grows with 
rapidity in almost every soil. When perfectly seasoned the wood is of a 
dark brown color, hard, compact, supple and tenacious : it makes excellent 
hoops, whip-stocks and ram-rods, is used by wheel-wrights for shafts and 
for other purposes, and is proper for sculpture. The Ancients assert that 
it is durable and secure from worms. 
PLATE CXIY. 
A branch ivith leaves and fruit of the natural size. Fig. 1 , A sprig loith flower s 
[See Nuttall’s Supplement, Yol. I, p. 32.] 
[Douglas found the Nettle Tree on the banks of the Columbia river, in 
places of extreme dryness, and Emerson asserts that he has discovered it 
in almost every county of Massachusetts, although everywhere so rare, 
that its name is unknown to the inhabitants. It bears so striking a resem- 
blance to the Elm as sometimes to be called False Elm. Torrey, who 
gives it the name of Beaver Wood and Hoop Ash, says it is to be found 
particularly in rocky situations, on the banks of rivers. Loudon says the 
root of the European Nettle Tree furnishes a yellow dye, and that an oil 
is expressed from the stones of the fruit.] 
