rally rounded, sharp-pointed,
ciliate, each subtending several nearly sessile stamens, filaments
sometimes forked, with anthers bearded at the tip: fertile catkins about
1 inch in length, on short leafy shoots, spreading; bracts lanceolate,
tapering to a long point, ciliate, each subtending two ovaries, each
ovary with adherent calyx, enclosed in a hairy bractlet; styles 2, long,
linear.

=Fruit.=--Early September. A small, smooth nut, enclosed in the
distended bract; the aggregated fruit resembling a cluster of hops.

=Horticultural Value.=--Hardy throughout New England; prefers dry or
well-drained slopes in gravelly or rocky soil; graceful and attractive,
but of rather slow growth; useful in shady situations and worthy of a
place in ornamental plantations, but too small for street use. Seldom
raised by nurserymen; collected plants moved with difficulty. Propagated
from seed.

[Illustration: PLATE XXVIII.--Ostrya Virginica.]

1. Winter buds.
2. Flowering branch.
3. Sterile flower, back view.
4. Sterile flower, front view.
5. Fertile catkin.
6. Fertile flower.
7. Fruiting branch.

=Carpinus Caroliniana, Walt.=

HORNBEAM. BLUE BEECH. IRONWOOD. WATER BEECH.

=Habitat and Range.=--Low, wet woods, and margins of swamps.

Province of Quebec to Georgian bay.

Rather common throughout New England, less frequent towards the coast.

South to Florida; west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Indian
territory, and Texas.

=Habit.=--A low, spreading tree, 10-30 feet high, with a trunk diameter
of 6-12 inches, rarely reaching 2 feet; trunk short, often given a
fluted appearance by projecting ridges running down from the lower
branches to the ground; in color and smoothness resembling the beech;
lower branches often much declined, upper going out at various angles,
often zigzag but keeping the same general direction; head wide, close,
flat-topped to rounded, with fine, slender spray.

=Bark.=--Trunk smooth, close, dark bluish-gray; branchlets grayish;
season's shoots light green turning brown, more or less hairy.

=Winter Buds and Leaves.=--Leaf-buds small, oval or ovoid, acute to
obtuse. Leaves simple, alternate, 2-3 inches long, dull green above,
lighter beneath, turning to scarlet or crimson in autumn; outline ovate
or slightly obovate oblong or broadly oval, irregularly and sharply
doubly serrate; veins prominent and pubescent beneath, at least when
young; apex acuminate to acute; ba