162 THE WHITE OAK AND OTHER SPECIES. 



eral by the wayside is owing to the peculiar shape of 

 their roots, which extend to a great depth in the soil, 

 and render the trees very difficult to be transplanted. 

 Hence the wayside oaks are such as have come up spon- 

 taneously in the places they occupy, and were there when 

 the road was laid out. 



THE SCAELET OAK. 



The Scarlet Oak in many points resembles the one I 

 have just described. Like the red oak, its branches are 

 regular and comparatively free from contortions, and the 

 quality of its timber is inferior. The leaves are distin- 

 guished from those of all other species by their deep sin- 

 uosities, being almost like the skeletons of a leaf, the 

 lobes terminating in narrow teeth with long sharp points. 

 This tree is greatly admired in landscape, and on large 

 estates it is constantly preserved as an ornament. Its 

 chief attraction is the bright color of its autumn foliage ; 

 but the fine gloss and deep verdure of its leaves in sum- 

 mer are very beautiful. It turns in autumn to a dark 

 crimson, not a scarlet, as the name would imply. It 

 could not justly be named scarlet, save when it is bright- 

 ened by sunshine, which adds to all crimson foliage a 

 little gold. But as the oaks are very late in assum- 

 ing their autumnal tints, and are not in their brightest 

 condition until the maples have faded, the Scarlet Oak. 

 when it has attained its full splendor, is the most beauti- 

 ful tree of the forest. 



There are certain trees which we do not highly value 

 in landscape as single individuals, while they attract 

 our attention in assemblages. Our hills, for example, in 

 some parts of the country, are nearly covered with a 

 growth of Scrub Oak, or Bear Oak. They are not orna- 



