I350 Rural School Leaflet 



(b) Lobes usually five in ntimber; acorn not so pointed, and cup 



enclosing from one-third to one-half of the nut .... Post oak 



AA. Acorns maturing in two seasons; leaves with pointed, bristle-tipped 



IoVjcs and rounded sinuses black oak group 



1. Leaves green on both sides 



(a) Sinuses very broad, broader than the lobes between 



them 



(i) Acorn small and flat, the nut almost hemispherical. 



Usually found growing in moist, rich soil on the 



banks of streams or the borders of swamps.. Pin oak 



(ii) Acorn slightly larger and more nearly round. 



Kernel whitish. Ustially prefers dry soils on 



ridges and well-drained situations .... Scarlet oak 



(b) Sinuses usually not so broad as the lobes between them 



(i) Leaves thick and firm; dark green, lustrous above; 



more or less fuzzy on the underside. .Black oak 



(ii) Leaves thin and finn; dark, dull green above; 



on the lower side usually smooth, or with fuzzy 



hairs near the veins only R.ed oak 



Or by their acorns these two oaks can be dis- 

 tinguished as follows: 



Cup very flat, saucer-shaped Red oak 



Cup not so flat, enclosing nearly half the 

 nut Black oak 



2. Leaves green above, covered with silvery down, below; usually 



five lobed Scrub oak 



3. Leaves green above, gray-green or yellownsh green and scurfy 



on the lower side; usually with only three lobes. (Found 

 in New York State only on Long Island) Blackjack 



As a family the oaks are very useful; btit there is a great difl'erence 

 between the several species, especially as to rate of growi^h, hardness of 

 wood, and usefulness of wood. In general white oaks arc harder and 

 more dural:)le than black oaks, and when a carpenter or a woodworker 

 wants a piece of very hard, heavy, durable wood that will hold its shape 

 without shrinking, warping, or checking, he will be likely to choose a 

 piece of white oak in preference to any other kind of oak. In the market, 

 swamp white oak passes for white oak, and sometimes a small quantity 

 of chestnut oak may be included with true white oak; but the wood of 

 chestnut oak is not so strong and good as that of time white oak. 



In form the oaks present a great variety. White oak growing in the 

 woods has a long, clear stem for perhaps fifty or sixty feet and reaches 



