QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



W. W. BERGOFFEN 



What is the difference between 

 trees and shrubs? 



There is no clear-cut distinction. 

 However, a tree is commonly defined as 

 a woody plant that reaches a height 

 of at least 10 feet, has a single stem, 

 and has a definite crown shape. A 

 shrub usually is less than 10 feet tall 

 and has several stems without a defi- 

 nite crown shape. Some specimens of 

 plant species may take the form of a 

 tree while others of the same species 

 may take the form of a shrub sumac 

 and willows, for example. 



How many different kinds of forest 

 trees are there in the United States? 

 Precisely 1,182. 



What is the largest genus of forest 

 trees? 



Hawthorns; the genus Crataegus 

 comprises about 165 species. 



What is the largest genus of com- 

 mercial forest trees? 



Oaks about 60 species, not count- 

 ing many hybrids and varieties. 



What section has the most kinds of 

 trees? 



The Southeast Virginia, North 

 Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, 

 Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Ken- 

 tucky, Mississippi has at least half of 

 all the species in the country. 



What State has the largest number 

 of different kinds of trees? 



Florida has 314 species of native and 

 naturalized trees. Texas, Georgia, and 

 California follow in that order. 



What State has the least number of 

 different kinds of trees? 



North Dakota is almost treeless ex- 

 cept, for example, cottonwoods and 

 willows that grow along the streams. 

 That is no aspersion, however, against 



that beautiful, happy State; North Da- 

 kota is a "grass" region; North Dako- 

 tans are as interested as anybody in 

 trees. 



What is a "softwood"? 



A name in general use for trees of 

 the pine family the conifers, or cone 

 bearers. 



What is a "hardwood"? 



A name in general use for trees 

 belonging to families other than the 

 conifers such as the oaks, maples, 

 hickories, and other broadleaf trees. 



What is our most important com- 

 mercial forest tree? 



In terms of volume of standing tim- 

 ber and value of products cut, Douglas- 

 fir is considered the most important 

 commercial tree. 



In what kinds of trees in the United 

 States are males and ]emales sepa- 

 rated? 



The holly, persimmon, ash, juniper, 

 most maples, yew, and several of the 

 less familiar trees. In those cases it is 

 essential that both sexes be present to 

 obtain well-developed fruit and seed. 



Can any trees reproduce without 

 fertilization? 



Yes; asexual reproduction has been 

 found to occur in several birches and 

 perhaps in other species. 



What is the biggest living tree in the 

 world? 



The General Sherman Bigtree in the 

 Sequoia National Park in California. 

 It is nearly 115 feet in circumference 

 and 273 feet in height; its volume is 

 600, 120 board feet. 



What is the world's tallest known 

 standing tree? 

 Founders Tree, a redwood in the 



