COMMON USES: Hubs, agricultural implements, sills, bridge timbers. REMARKS: The best of the elm woods. [Illustration: Radial Section, life size.] [Illustration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.] [Illustration: Tangential Section, life size.] 49 WHITE ELM. AMERICAN ELM. WATER ELM. Water, because it flourishes on river banks. _Ulmus americana_ Linnaeus. _Ulmus_, the classical Latin name. [Illustration: Habitat.] HABITAT: (See map); best northward on river bottoms. [Illustration: Leaf.] CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TREE: Height, 90', even 120'; diameter, 3'-8'; trunk, usually divides at 30'-40' from ground into upright branches, making triangular outline; bark, ashy gray, deep longitudinal fissures, broad ridges; leaves, 4"-6" long, oblique obovate, doubly serrate, smooth one way; fruit, small, roundish, flat, smooth, samaras. APPEARANCE OF WOOD: Color, light brown, sap-wood yellowish; ring-porous; rings, marked by several rows of large open ducts; grain, interlaced; rays, numerous, thin. PHYSICAL QUALITIES: Heavy (24th in this list); 34 lbs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 0.6506; strong (33d in this list); elasticity, medium (59th in this list); medium hard (28th in this list); shrinkage, 5 per cent.; warps .........; not durable; hard to work, tough, will not polish; splits with difficulty. COMMON USES: Cooperage, wheel stock, flooring. REMARKS: Favorite ornamental tree, but shade light, and leaves fall early. [Illustration: Radial Section, life size.] [Illustration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.] [Illustration: Tangential Section, life size.] 50 CUCUMBER TREE. MOUNTAIN MAGNOLIA. Cucumber, refers to the shape of the fruit. _Magnolia acuminata_ Linnaeus. _Magnolia_, named for Pierre Magnol, a French botanist; _acuminata_, refers to pointed fruit. [Illustration: Habitat.] HABITAT: (See map); best at the base of mountains in North Carolina and South Carolina and Tennessee. [Illustration: Leaf.] CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TREE: Height, 60'-90'; diameter, 3'-4'; in forest, clear trunk for 2/3 of height (40' or 50'); bark, dark brown, thick, furrowed; leaves, large, smooth; flowers, large greenish yellow; fruit, dark red "cones" formed of two seeded follicles. APPEARANCE OF WOOD: Color, yellow brown, thick sapwood, lighter; diffuse-porous; rings, obscure; grain, very straight, close, satiny; rays, numerous thin. PHYSICAL QUALITIES: Light (45th in this list); .... lbs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 0.4690; medium strong (49th in this list); elastic (38th in this list); medium hard (41st in this list); shrinkage, 5 per cent.; warps .........; very durable; easy to work; splits easily, takes nails well. COMMON USES: Pump logs, cheap furniture, shelving. REMARKS: Wood similar to yellow poplar, and often sold with it. [Illustration: Radial Section, life size.] [Illustration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.] [Illustration: Tangential Section, life size.] 51