38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1883. 



to five-eighths of an inch long. The nut is perfectly smooth, 

 shining, of a light tan-color, ovate, somewhat narrowed towards 

 the base, with the apex slightly compressed and umhonate to 

 about one-third of its length, immersed in a shallow cup with 

 closely appressed, slight, knobby and smootliish scales. The nnt 

 is sweet and regarded as the best of mast. The acorns seem to 

 germinate in situations more or less exposed to light ; the large 

 trees are in more open situations found surrounded by their 

 numerous oftspring in- all stages of growth. 



From the limited knowledge we possess, but little can be said 

 of the distribution of this oak. So far as known, it is confined to 

 a calcareous soil, be it on the rocky uplands or in the bottom lands, 

 the soil of w^hich in western Texas consists of a fine calcareous silt. 

 It seems not to occur west of the basin of the Colorado River; it 

 was not found near New Braunfels or around San Antonio ; on 

 the dry, rocky hills near Austin, it scarcely reaches the dimensions 

 of a middle-sized tree ; in the rich bottom of the lower Guadeloupe 

 it attains the proportion of the larger trees of the forest; there a 

 number of trees were measured and found from 2 to fully 3 feet 

 in diameter. One felled to the ground measured 37 inches through 

 and 86 feet in length, being perfectly sound. In such localities 

 most favorable to its development, it is esteemed as the most 

 valuable of the timber trees ; in its quality equal to the best of 

 white oak timber, it enters into all the manifold uses to which the 

 latter is applied, and which render the white oak of such great 

 importance. 



As far as known, the tree has not been found in eastern Texas, 

 Louisiana, Mississippi, and the northern part of Alaliama. In the 

 latter State it seems in its northern extension confined to the 

 southern edge of the silurian limestone formation at the 33° of 

 latitude, at an eleA^•^tion not exceeding 250 or 300 feet above the 

 Gulf of Mexico. In repl}" to several inquiries made since, in regard 

 to its occurrence in the central and lower part of the State, where 

 the tree is called " Bastard Oak," it has become evident tliat it is not 

 rare southward throughout the cretaceous belt on the roci<y banks 

 lining the water courses, to the tertiary limestone hills below. Its 

 absence in the extensive territory between the latter and the calca- 

 reous hills on the Colorado River, nearly 700 miles to tlie westward, 

 can be accounted for by the prevailing sandy or argillaceous soils 

 quite destitute of lime, whose presence seems to be a necessary 

 recpiiremcnt for its growth. 



