RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



29 



The Native Trees of Rhode Island. 



BY L. W. RUSSELL. 

 No. I. 



It is the purpose of the writer to prepare 

 for Random Notes a series of brief articles 

 upon the trees indigenous to Rhode Island. 

 Avoiding, as far as consistent with accu- 

 racy, mere technical terms and descrip- 

 tions, it is intended to record such facts 

 concerning our native species of trees as 

 will afford an intelligible and fairly com- 

 plete view of them at the time of writing. 

 Whatever is peculiar to their growth or ap- 

 pearance, in this locality", will, so far as 

 known, be stated. The local effects of 

 climate and exposure, and of the different 

 soils, upon the growth and production of 

 the different species will receive attention. 

 The economic value of the different kinds 

 will be noted. And, finally, the relation- 

 ship which our trees sustain to us as beau- 

 tifiers of our homes and landscapes will 

 receive occasional mention. 



The necessity for brevity in the sketches 

 to be given compels the omission of much 

 that might be of interest, especially to the 

 general reader ; but it is hoped that what 

 may be offered will, in some degree, pro- 

 mote the objects for which this periodical 

 is published. 



Generally speaking, the countr}' com- 

 prised within the limits of New England is 

 a natural forest region. The denudation 

 which has taken place within Rhode Is- 

 land has been gradually effected, as the 

 settlement of the region demanded the land 

 for agriculture, and the forest growth for 

 timber and fuel. The islands of the state, 

 once heavily wooded, have long since been 

 laid bare ; and a considerable part of the 

 land bordering upon the Narragansett Ba}' 

 and in the immediate vicinit}^ of the larger 

 towns, has shared the same fate. Sterilit}' 

 has frequentl}' followed the destruction of 

 the forest upon large areas ; but where the 

 denuded tracts have been neglected by the 

 plow and have been protected from brows- 

 ing by cattle, the natural tendency of the 

 soil shows itself in a new growth of trees. 



But there are still considerable tracts of 

 the hard, stony lands, in the remoter parts 

 of the state, almost exclusively devoted to 

 the growth of wood ; and, in nearly all 

 parts of the state there are copses and 



rows of trees preserved for their protection 

 or as '' wind breaks," and great numbers of 

 small groups and of single specimens are 

 allowed to stand for their shade and land- 

 scape beauty. 



The state is believed to be notably rich 

 in the variety' of its natural ligneous^ 

 growth. About lift}' species of native trees 

 (growing to thirty or more feet in height) 

 are found here. Taking lead among these, 

 in number of species, in economic value 

 and scenic attralitiveness, are those of 

 which we first treat, — the 



CUPULIFER^, OAK FAMILY. 



QuERCUs, Oak. 



QuercKS alba, Wfiite Oak. 



The oaks, here and elsewhere, are natur- 

 ally divided into two sections : 



1. Those which mature their acorns dur- 

 ing the autumn of the first year. 2. Those 

 which do not mature their acorns until the 

 autumn of the second 3^ear. Annual-fruited 

 Oaks, and biennial-fruited Oaks Of the 

 former the White Oak, Q. alba, may be re- 

 garded as the type. In Rhode Island it is 

 a stately tree, found in numerous localities, 

 in all parts of the state. It is found in com- 

 pany- with other species of the oak, with the 

 hickories, and various other trees, and is 

 frequently mingled with a straggling growth 

 of pitch pines and white birches. In certain 

 localities it occupies the ground almost to 

 the exclusion of other trees. Many years 

 ago, when there was an active demand for 

 ship-timber, for watei'-wheel shafts, etc., 

 the hillsides and valleys of the state were 

 culled for the best timber of this oak. This 

 work made serious inroads upon the tree. 

 A few specimens, too sturdj' and rugged for 

 the axe, escaped. To-day they are among 

 the noblest trees of the state. The follow- 

 ing specimens ma}- be mentioned as espe- 

 cially noteworthy : A large symmetrical tree, 

 upon Mr. Chas. E. Hall's farm. Fruit Hill, 

 North Providence ; height, 65 ft. ; spread, 

 87 ft. ; girth, 4 ft. up, 15 ft. 2 in, A large, 

 finel}' proportioned tree, one mile below 

 Hamilton Mills, North Kingstown ; girth, 

 3 ft. up, 13 ft. 4.^ in. The body is short, 

 but it has a magnificent spread of top. 

 The "Catholic" oak, in Lonsdale, is 

 worth)' of special note. The tree now ha& 

 a spread of 86 ft. It was probably- much 

 greater before its original branches were 



