=Distribution.=--Nova Scotia to Minnesota and south to the Gulf. Frequent to common in all parts of Indiana. It is the most abundant in the northern two-thirds of the State, where it is associated principally with beech, sugar maple, linn, slippery elm and red oak. In the hilly part of the State it is found principally near water courses and in ravines, and rarely on the white and black oak ridges. It is rarely found in the low "flats" of the southeast part of the State, or in the shingle oak bottoms along the Patoka River. =Remarks.=--The foliage of the white ash is quite variable in the texture of the leaflets. Leaflets on some trees are quite thin while those of other trees are thick and leathery, and no doubt would be classed by Sargent as variety =subcoriacea=[68]. [Illustration: Plate 124. FRAXINUS AMERICANA Linnæus. White Ash. (× 1/2.)] A form of white ash with reddish-purple fruit is found from Steuben to Clark County. This form is the prevailing type of white ash in Wayne County in the vicinity of Centerville. It has been described by Fernald as forma =iodocarpa=.[69] The wood is heavy, hard, strong, elastic, sap wood white and the heart wood light brown. It is one of the most valuable of Indiana woods, and is used by almost all wood using industries. Its principal uses include handles, butter tubs, car and vehicle stock, automobiles and implements. The white ash has been under cultivation at the Clark County State Forest for fifteen years, and the present indications are that it is one of the very best species to use for forest planting. It is hardy; grows in nearly all kinds of soil, although it prefers a moist, rich soil; transplants successfully; grows rapidly; bears pruning well; erect in habit of growth, and so far in our area forest plantings have not been destroyed by injurious insects. However, in some parts of the State, where trees have grown in the cities, some have been killed by scale insects. Aside from this the white ash would be an excellent tree for roadside planting, because it comes into leaf late, and never produces a dense shade. At present seed collectors are not able to separate the species of ash, and as a consequence white ash seedlings bought from a nursery are not always true to name. For this reason it is suggested that to obtain seedlings true to name that seed be collected and planted from a tree true to name. The seed should be planted in a sandy soil in rows, about 25 seeds to the foot, and covered about an inch deep with earth. The trees should be planted 4 × 4 ft. to 8 × 8 ft. apart.