The yellowish _flowers_ appear in May. They are of two kinds on the same tree--the staminate flowers in a linear cluster and the pistillate flowers in a rounded ball. The _fruit_ is globular, from 2 to 5 inches in diameter, somewhat resembling a very rough green orange. The _wood_ is heavy, exceedingly hard, very strong and very durable in contact with the soil. The heartwood is bright orange in color, turning brown upon exposure. The Indians called it "bois d'arc", or bow-wood, and used it for their finest bows. It does not shrink with weather changes. It is largely used for posts; sometimes for wheel-stock, lumber and fuel. +RED MULBERRY+ _Morus rubra_ L. THE red mulberry occurs throughout the State. It prefers the rich, moist soils of the lower and middle districts, but it is nowhere abundant. It is a small tree, rarely 50 feet high and 2 feet in diameter, often growing in the shade of larger trees. [Illustration: RED MULBERRY Twig, two-thirds natural size. Leaf, one-third natural size.] The _bark_ is rather thin, dark reddish-brown, peeling off in long narrow flakes. The _leaves_ are alternate, thin, rounded or somewhat heart-shaped, toothed, pointed, 3 to 5 inches long, rough hairy above and soft hairy beneath. Often some of the leaves, especially on the young trees and thrifty shoots, are mitten-shaped or variously lobed. The _flowers_ are of two kinds, on the same or different trees, in drooping catkins. The catkins of the staminate flowers are about 2 inches long; the spikes of the pistillate flowers are about half as long and stand on short stalks. The _fruit_ is dark red or black, and resembles a blackberry; however, a stalk extends through it centrally, and it is longer and narrower. The fruit is sweet and edible and greatly relished by birds and various animals. The _wood_ is rather light, soft, not strong, light orange-yellow, very durable in contact with the soil. It is chiefly used for fence posts. The tree might be planted for this purpose and to furnish food for birds. The white mulberry, _Morus alba_ L., is a native of China, where its leaves are the chief food of the silkworm. Several varieties are planted for ornamental purposes. Its leaves are broad and smooth; its fruit is long, white, sweet, and insipid. A variety, under the name of the Russian mulberry, _Morus alba_ var. _tatarica_ Loudon, has been introduced into this country and has been cultivated for its fruit. This fruit varies from creamy white to violet and almost black. +CUCUMBER MAGNOLIA+ _Magnolia acuminata_ L. THE cucumber magnolia attains an average height of 40 to 80 feet and a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. It occurs singly among other hardwood trees throughout the richer, cooler north slopes and bottom lands of southern Illinois, in Union, Johnson, Pope, Alexander and Pulaski counties. [Illustration: CUCUMBER MAGNOLIA Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, two-thirds natural size.]