The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Ross \Ross\; 115), n. [Etymol. uncertain.]
   The rough, scaly matter on the surface of the bark of trees.
   [Prov. Eng. & Local, U.S.]
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Ross \Ross\, v. t.
   To divest of the ross, or rough, scaly surface; as, to ross
   bark. [Local, U.S.]
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Ross
    n 1: Scottish explorer who led Arctic expeditions that yielded
         geographic discoveries while searching for the Northwest
         Passage (1777-1856) [syn: Ross, John Ross, Sir John
         Ross]
    2: British explorer of the Arctic and Antarctic; located the
       north magnetic pole in 1831; discovered the Ross Sea in
       Antarctica; nephew of Sir John Ross (1800-1862) [syn: Ross,
       James Clark Ross, Sir James Clark Ross]
    3: British physician who discovered that mosquitos transmit
       malaria (1857-1932) [syn: Ross, Sir Ronald Ross]
    4: a politician in Wyoming who was the first woman governor in
       the United States (1876-1977) [syn: Ross, Nellie Ross,
       Nellie Tayloe Ross]
    5: American seamstress said to have made the first American flag
       at the request of George Washington (1752-1836) [syn: Ross,
       Betsy Ross, Betsy Griscom Ross]