THE ANNUAL MEETING. 109 



7 hazels and filberts, 25 species of castanopsis, which is a chestnut-like plant, 2 

 chestnuts, 15 beeches, and nearly 300 oaks. Three-fourths of the species in 

 the family are oaks, hence it is very properly called the oak family. 



" The oak belongs exclusively to climates temperate either by their latitude 

 or their elevation." " De Caudolle, m the ' Prodromus,' published in 18G8, 

 describes 281 oaks, of which 33 or 34 are found within the limits of the 

 United States, 90 in Mexico and Central America, 21 in Europe, 2 in Africa, 

 28 in China and Japan, 60 in continental Asia, 26 in Java, 14 in Sumatra, 6 

 in Hong-Kong. 3 in Borneo, 1 in Moluccas. Since then, others have been 

 found on the Pacific Slope, within the "United States." "In Britain, two 

 species only are indigenous; in France, there are four or five sorts, and in 

 Italy, Greece, and Spain, six or seven." 



White oak {Quercus alba) is by far the most important oak in Michigan or 

 in the United States. 



Michaux reports it in Canada as far north as 46° 20'. In Michigan it 

 reaches Grand Traverse Bay and perhaps extends farther north. 



Scarlet oak {Querctis coccinea) is also very common in our State, reaching 

 Grand Traverse Bay at the north. 



Bur-oak {Quercus macrocarpa) is common on low, rich timbered land, and on 

 rich openings in the southern part of the State, extending north, perhaps 

 nearly to Howard City. C. F. Wheeler of Hubbardston says, "It is quite 

 abundant in the Grand River Valley and the rich plains in the vicinity." 



Swamp white oak {Quercus bicolor) is common on low ground and in the 

 southern counties becomes a large, tall tree, of great value for posts and sills. 



Yellow chestnut oak {Quercus muhlenbergii) isfound sparingly along streams, 

 with about the same range as swamp white oak. It is not abundant anywhere 

 in Michigan. 



Laurel oak {Quercus imbricaria) is found in Lenawee and Branch counties 

 and probably elsewhere. The leaves are lanceolate — oblong with entire mar- 

 gins, much resembling the leaves of the laurel. 



Black oak, or yellow-barked oak {Quercus coccinea, variety tinctoria) is quite 

 common on poor land and on rich land. 



Red oak {Quercus rubra) is a large, coarse grained tree of little value, com- 

 mon on low land, extending into the Upper Peninsula. 



Pin or swamp Spanish oak {Quercus palustris) is reported by the late Dr. 

 Cooley and by Mr. Wheeler as a rare tree. It would be useless here to go into 

 the details of classification. 



I have named nine species as found in Michigan. Perhaps there are others. 

 I do not wonder that there is much confusion in the minds of people who are 

 not botanists, in reference to our oaks. Botanists are also much puzzled. 

 Considering the small number of species, there is probably no more trouble- 

 some genus of woody plants in our State, not even excepting the willows. 

 The best way that I know of to settle some of these knotty questions is for 

 some one to plant seeds and raise the trees and watch the results. Attempts 

 to cross the species would also be valuable. 



" The red oak is the most northern of oaks. It extends from Georgia to 

 the Saskatchewan." "No other oak flourishes so readily in every situation ; 

 no other is of so rapid growth ; no other surpasses it in beauty of foliage and 

 of trunk." 



" In Norway the oak is found at north latitude 60°, in Finland still higher." 



"The oak is never found in perfection except in a good soil, and in a tem- 

 perate climate." 



