AMERICAN FORESTRY 



I Kl NK III- A WHITI-; DAK 

 The liark of a mature tree like this is about two inches thick. It is usu- 

 ally light grey or white, shallowly tissured into flat, irregular scales 

 often very loosely attached. Occasionally the hark appears roughly 

 ridged and without scales. On the smaller branches the hark is light 

 green to reddish-brown. 



are 2 to 4 feet in diameter and 60 to 100 feet in height. 

 In the open the trunk is short, often of large size ; the 

 top forms an impressive dome with many great branches, 

 gnarled and twisted, that convey the idea of sturdiiiess 

 and strength. 



The bark of the mature trunk is a pale gray, with 

 shallow fissures and flaky scales. Occasionally it is 

 roughly ridged or plated, and without scales, and may 

 vary in color from dark grey to nearly white. 



The pith of the twigs is shaped like a five-pointed star. 

 The bark of young twigs is light green or reddish-tinged, 

 changing in winter to reddish-brown or grey, and is cov- 

 ered with numerous small, raised breathing pores. 



The buds stand singly on the sides of the twigs. If a 

 line is drawn from bud to bud. it will be seen that each 

 fifth bud stands directly above the one from which count- 

 ing begins, and the line forms a spiral of two turns 

 around the stem. Several buds are clustered at the ends 

 of the twigs. All of the buds are small, blunt-pointed and 

 more or less globular, and are covered with tiny over- 

 lapping scales. 



The leaves are 2 to 4 inches wide, -"i to inches lont; 

 and have an egg-shaped outline, with the broad end 

 farthest from the branch. The base of the leaf is wedge- 

 shaped, with a short stem. The edge of the leaf is cut by 

 rounded notches into divisions or lobes, ranging in number 

 from 3 to 9. but usually 1, The top of each lobe is 

 rounding and free from bristles. Sometimes the indenta- 

 tions are very slight, giving the margin of the leaf a 

 wavy outline, in other cases they extend nearly to the 

 mid-rib of the leaf. 



The leaves unfold late in the spring. The pioneer 

 planted his corn when the white oak leaf had opened 

 to the size of a mouse's ear. At first the leaves are a deli- 

 cate rose-pink, and covered with silvery down. When 

 full grown they are bright green and smooth above, pale, 

 smooth and occasionally shiny beneath. For a short time 

 late in the autumn the color of the foliage changes to 

 mingled shades of subdued reds and purples. Soon the 

 color fades and the leaves become brown and sear but 

 often remain clinging to the branches, especially on young 

 trees, until the winds of winter finally whirl them away. 



In May, when the leaves are about one-third grown, 

 two kinds of flowers appear on the branches. The pollen- 

 producing flowers are in clustered catkins that droop, 

 fringe-like, from the branches. These flowers are yel- 

 lowish, and inconspicuous. Each one of the flowers 

 v/hich produce the acorns appears to be composed of a 

 numlier of tiny reddish scales from which three bright 

 red tips protrude. They are borne singly or several on 

 one stem, in the axils of the leaves. At first very small, 

 after they are fertilized by the pollen they (le\-elop into 

 ; nut, the familiar acorn, 



'I"he acorn matures early in the fall. The bowl-shaped 

 cup encloses about one-fourth of the nut antl is covered 

 with numerous brown scales. The nut is light brown, 

 shiny, about one-third of an inch long, and rounded at 

 the tip. The white meat of the nut is much sweeter in 

 flavor than most acorns and is a staple food for squirrels, 

 wild turkeys, hogs and other animals, wild and domestic. 

 Even the Indians and the early colonises ate white oak 

 acorns, after first boiling them. Seed years for white oak 



Courtesy of Manna! Arts Press. 



LEAF OF THE WHITE OAK 



The leaves are from five to nine inches long, tw^o to four 

 inches wide, with three to nine, but usually seven, 

 ascending lobes; when full grown they are thin and 

 bright green above and pale and smooth below. 



