[Illustration:  FIG. 80.—­Bud of the Umbrella Tree.]

Enemies:  Its leaves are a favorite food of caterpillars and its wood is
    frequently attacked by a boring insect known as the linden borer
    (Saperda vestita).

Value for planting:  The linden is easily transplanted and grows rapidly.  It is used for lawn and street planting but is less desirable for these purposes than the European species.

Commercial value:  The wood is light and soft and used for paper pulp,
    woodenware, cooperage and furniture.  The tree is a favorite with bee
    keepers on account of the large quantities of nectar contained in
    its flowers.

Other characters:  The fruit is like a pea, gray and woody.  The
    flowers appear in early July, are greenish-yellow and very
    fragrant.

Other common names:  Bass-wood; lime-tree; whitewood.

Comparisons:  The European lindens, Fig. 79, of which there are several
    species under cultivation, differ from the native species in having
    buds and leaves smaller in size, more numerous and darker in color.

THE MAGNOLIAS

The various species of magnolia trees are readily distinguished by their buds.  They all prefer moist, rich soil and have their principal value as decorative trees on the lawn.  They are distinctly southern trees; some species under cultivation in the United States come from Asia, but the two most commonly grown in the Eastern States are the cucumber tree and the umbrella tree.

[Illustration:  FIG. 81.—­Bark of the Black Locust.]

CUCUMBER TREE (Magnolia acuminata)

Distinguishing characters:  The buds are small and slender compared
    with those of the other magnolia trees and are covered with small
    silvery silky hairs.  The habit of the tree is to form a straight
    axis of great height with a symmetrical mass of branches, producing
    a perfect monopodial crown.  The tree is sometimes known as mountain
    magnolia.

UMBRELLA TREE (Magnolia tripetala)

Distinguishing characters:  The buds, Fig. 80, are extremely long,
    often one and a half inches, have a purple color and are smooth. 
    The tree does not grow to large size and produces an open spreading
    head.  Its leaves, twelve to eighteen inches long, are larger than
    those of the other magnolia trees.  The tree is sometimes called
    elkwood.

BLACK LOCUST (Robinia pseudacacia)

Distinguishing characters:  The bark of the trunk is rough and
    deeply ridged, as shown in Fig. 81.  The buds are hardly
    noticeable; the twigs sometimes bear small spines on one side.  The
    leaves are large, compound, and fern-like.  The individual leaflets
    are small and delicate.