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BLACK JACK OAK 



{QuerciLs manlandica Muench.) 



TTHE occurrence of black jack oak is said to indi- 

 cate poor soil. It is certain that it often occurs 

 on dry or poorly drained gravel clay, or sandy up- 

 land soils where few other forest trees thrive. This 

 perhaps accounts chiefly for its slow rate of growth. 

 It is found in all parts of the State, The tree some- 

 times reaches a height of 50 or 60 feet and a diam- 



^ & 



BLACK JACK OAK 

 Twig, two-thirds natural size. Leaf, one-third natural size 



eter of 16 inches, but it is usually much smaller. Its 

 hard, stiff, drooping branches form a dense crown 

 which usually contains many persistent dead twigs. 

 The bark is rough, very dark, often nearly black, 

 and broken into small, hard scales or flakes. 



The leaves are of leathery texture, dark green en 

 the upper surface, lighter underneath, broadly 

 wedge-shaped, 4 to 10 inches long and about the 

 same in width. The fruit is an acorn about three- 

 quarters of an inch long, yellow-broAvn and often 

 striped, inclosed for half its length or more in a 

 thick light-brown cup. 



The wood is heavy, hard and strong; when used 

 at all, it is used mostly as firewood. 



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