=Distribution.=--Pennsylvania, southern Michigan to Iowa, and south to
the Gulf States and west to Texas. Found infrequently throughout Indiana
along streams, except that it is absent about Lake Michigan and that in
the southwestern counties it becomes a frequent tree in the Wabash
bottoms. In its native habitat it is rarely found except near a stream,
pond, lake, etc. However, in the southeastern counties it has spread all
over many of the hillsides which were once cleared and have been
abandoned for agricultural purposes and left to natural forest
regeneration. It was interesting to learn how this tree was able to
propagate itself on the steep bare slopes. It was found that the seeds
were scattered by cattle that greedily eat the fruit. It is a medium
sized tree, except in the Wabash bottoms of the southwestern part of the
State where it grows to be one of the largest trees of the forest, and
is more luxuriant than in any other part of its range.
=Remarks.=--In making a study of the fruit of this species, it was found
that the sides of all the pods of all the specimens at hand except one
are glabrous, even those of young fruit. The margins of the pods are
pubescent. However, a specimen collected on August 27th in Vermillion
County has the entire pod covered with long hairs. In consulting the
literature on the subject it is found that some authors describe the
fruit as glabrous while others describe it as hairy. It would be
interesting to study the significance of this character to learn if each
form has a geographic range.
The wood is used principally for interior finish, furniture, posts and
crossties. The tree has a grace that recommends it for ornamental
planting despite its thorns. However, a thornless variety is now offered
by nurserymen. It adapts itself to all kinds of soils, although it
prefers a moist rich soil; grows rapidly and is comparatively free from
insect damage.
[Illustration: Plate 107.