the windward side of an orchard as a protection to young and delicate trees. It is cultivated at least as far north as Juneau, Alaska. The foliage and flowers are both edible, though the tender young leaves are more palatable. It is a beneficial species for attracting pollinators as well. Bees produce excellent honey with a mildly spicy flavor from its blossoms. The inner bark was used historically as a fiber source for making baskets, rope, and fishing nets. Basswood attracts many insect pests including Japanese beetles and skeletonized leaves are common. Mite galls commonly form on the foliage. Cultivars include 'Nova', 'Duros' (with an upright crown), the pyramidal 'Frontyard' and the conic-crowned 'Redmond'. The tree was introduced to the UK in 1752, but has never prospered there, being prone to dieback. Wood The wood is pale brown, sometimes nearly white or faintly tinged with red; light, soft with fine close grain; clear of knots but does not split easily. It is low in strength and has a poor steam-bending classification. It can take stains and polish without difficulty and it planes, glues, screws and nails well. It is sold generally under the name basswood, but is sometimes confounded with tulip-wood and then called white-wood, and is largely used in the manufacture of wooden-ware, wagon boxes and furniture. It has a density of 0.4525 (relative to water). The wood is considered odorless. This makes it valuable in the manufacture of wooden-ware, cheap furniture, and bodies of carriages; it is also especially adapted for wood-carving. The inner bark is very tough and fibrous, used in the past for making ropes. Basswood is a tonewood commonly used in the manufacture of electric guitars. It is light, strong and resonant. It is usually used for guitars that will be painted an opaque color, because its lack of notable grain, making it an unattractive candidate for transparent finish. It exhibits a very balanced, even tone with a good low/mid-midrange projection making it suitable for a wide variety of musical applications. It is often paired with Maple laminates to balance the midrange with more treble (inherent to Maple) to make a very well rounded sounding instrument. Basswood's relatively lightweight, easy to work and sand, accepts glue, stain, paint and finish very well and is inexpensive. All this has made it a favourite of large factories mass producing instruments. It has proven especially popular in instruments