; limbs light gray,
rough-warted, the smaller with conspicuous leaf-scars; season's shoots
olive green, stout; flattened at apex, with small, black, vertical dots.

=Winter Buds and Leaves.=--Buds roundish, pointed, very dark, the
terminal 1/8 inch long. Leaves compound, opposite, 12-15 inches long;
stipules none; stem grooved and smooth; leaflets 7-11, more frequently
9, 3-5 inches long, 1-1/2-2 inches wide, green on both sides, lighter
beneath and more or less hairy on the veins; outline variable, more
usually oblong-lanceolate, sharply serrate; apex acuminate; base obtuse
to rounded, sessile except the odd leaflets; stipels none.

=Inflorescence.=--May. Appearing before the leaves in loose panicles
from lateral or terminal buds of the preceding season, sterile and
fertile flowers on different trees; bracted; calyx none; petals none.

=Fruit.=--August to September. Samaras, in panicles, rather more than 1
inch long, rounded at both ends: body entirely surrounded by the wing.

=Horticultural Value.=--Hardy throughout New England; grows in any good
soil, but prefers swamp or wet land. Its very tall, slender habit makes
it a useful tree in some positions, but it is not readily obtainable in
nurseries and is seldom used. Propagated from the seed.

[Illustration: PLATE LXXXVI.--Fraxinus nigra.]

1. Winter buds.
2. Branch with sterile flowers.
3. Sterile flower.
4. Branch with fertile flowers.
5. Fertile flower.
6. Fruiting branch.
7. Fruit.

CAPRIFOLIACEAE. HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY.

=Viburnum Lentago, L.=

SHEEP BERRY. SWEET VIBURNUM. NANNY PLUM.

=Habitat and Range.=--Rich woods, thickets, river valleys, along fences.

Province of Quebec to Saskatchewan.

Frequent throughout New England.

South along the mountains to Georgia and Kentucky; west to
Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri.

=Habit.=--A shrub or small tree, 10-25 feet in height with numerous
branches forming a wide-spreading, compact rounded head; conspicuous by
rich foliage, profuse, fragrant yellowish-white flowers, and long,
drooping clusters of crimson fruit which deepen to a rich purple when
fully ripe.

=Bark.=--Trunk and larger branches dark purplish or reddish brown,
separating in old trees into small, firm sections; branchlets
grayish-brown; season's shoots reddish-brown, dotted, more or less
scurfy.

=Winter Buds and Leaves.=--Leaf-buds long, narrow, covered with scurfy,
brown, leaf-like scales; flow