File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11 (1901) (20314810190).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11pennx (find matches)
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forestry
Subjects: Forests and forestry
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : The Department : WM. Stanley Ray, state printer of Pennsylvania
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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PLATE XCVII. COMMON LOCUST 1. A tloworing branch, x ). •2. A fniitiiijr branch, x J. .!. A winter twig, x J. t. Section of a winter twi«, enlarji.-fl. 5. Section of a winter twig, enlarged. 187 COMMON LOCUST Robinia Pseudo-Acacia, Linnaeus OEirUS DESCRIPTION—Tliis genus comprises 7 species of trees and shrubs native only to North America but some are planted extensively in Kurope. Three of the 7 species reach tree- sire while the others remain shnibs. The generic name is in commemoration of the I'rench botaniat Joan Robin and hlB uon Vespasien. 70B11—A medium-sized tree usually 30-45 ft. high with a diameter of 1-1 i ft. but may reach a height of 75 ft. with a diameter of 2-2i feet. Forest-grown specimens are often straight, clean, and free from branches for 2 of height of tree. Open grown specimens usually branch low. Crown usually narrow, oblong, and open. BARK—On both young and old trunks rough, reddish-brown, deeply furrowed, with liigh rather rounded ridges which do not peel off in scales; sonietlmes 1-li inches in thickness. See Fig. 104. TWIGS—Rather stout, brittle, more or less zigzag, round to angular in crt)8s-Bectlon, some- times ridged, greenish to reddish-brown; often bearing two spines at a node, covered with a few pale lenticels; pith white and often angular. BUDS—Alternate; tenuinal one absent; small, 3-4 superposed, lnil>edded in twig under leaf- scar in a rusty somewhat hairy cavity. Their iwsition is hardly visible in winter but becomes evident in spring when growth starts. LEAVES—Alternate, compound, 8-14 Inches long; petioles slender, grooved on top, and swollen at the base. Leaflets odd in number and stalked, ovate to oblong, 7-21 in number, 1-2 inches long, usually rounded at apex and tmse, entire on margin. LEAF-SCARS—Alternate, more than 2-ranked, rather large and conspicuous, irregular in out- line, covering the buds; often located between two prickles wliich are developed and hardened stipules; contain 3 bundle-scars. FLOWERS—^Appear about May after the leaves or occasionally before the leaves, resembling the blossom of a pea. Perfect, cream-white, about an inch across, fragrant, borne On slender stalks about i of an inch long, airanged In loone drooping rauemes 4-5 inches long. FRUIT—A small, dark brown, and tliln pod, 2-4 inches long and i of an inch wide; usually containing from 4-8 small dark brown mottled seeds. The pods often persist far into winter. WOOD—Ring-porous; rays quite distinct, especially on radial section; heavy, very hard and strong, very durable In contact with the soil, yellowish-brown to cherry-red or reddish-brown, with thin greenish or yellowish sapwood. Weighs about 4« lbs. per cubic foot. Used extensively in former time for shipbuilding, and at present for posts, in turnery, for tree nails, insulator pins, and fuel. DISTIN6UISHINQ CHARACTERISTICS—The Common Locust, also known as the Black Locust, Yellow Locust, White Locust, Locust, and Acacia, may be distinguished by Its droop- ing racemes of white irregular flowers, its odd-phmate comi-ound leaves, its twigs with two short spines at a node, its 2-4 inch long leathery fruit pod and its deeply furrowed reddish-brown bark The leaf scars, located between the two spines when present, and covering 3-4 rusty downy superposed buds, arc also characteristic. The disagreeable odor and yellow color of the roots are diatlnctlve. The characteristic coloration of the foliage of this tree when attacked by the Locust Leaf Miner and the characteristic swelling of the branches when attacked by the Locust Borer aid In recognizing it. The presence of the fruiting body of the Locust Rot (Femes rlmosus) so common in southern Pennsylvania, Is a sure means of Identifying the tree. RANGE—MounUins of Pennsylvania, south to Georgia, westward to Iowa and Kansas. Nat- uralized over an extensive area In America and widely planted in Efurope. DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA—Originally it was found only in the central and south- em iKirtions of the Allegheny Mountains in this State. At present it is found all over the State as an omamt^ntal tree or in fence rows and in many places it has escaped into the forest and abandoned fields. HABITAT—Grows vigorously on mcist ferUle soil, especially on rich bottomlands and along mountain streams. Also grows on rather rocky and sterile mountain slopes. Frequent on abandoned charcoal hearths and mud-dams found near ore mines. IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES—The real importance of the Common Locust is somewhat in doubt. It produces excellent wood and grows rapidly in some localities especially where It is free from enemies. Two insects, known as Locust Borer and Locust Leaf Mttner and a fungus known as the Jx)cust Rot (Fomes rlmosus), are doing enormous '^'^8«/" *^'" ^^ locally, in regions where these enemies are wanting and where suitable soil and climate are at hand it may be advisable to plant this tree especially when posts, poles, or ties are desired A large quantity of wood is being profitably disposed of In the forests of southern Pe^^jjvania for the manufacture of insulator pirn.. During the World War *f"«-",,*" """T'^.^T^rJ for this wood for the purpose of manufacturing tree nails used in shipbuilding. It has very attractive flowers which may appear before, with, or after the leaves.

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