'^<!^^^ -^3>-^^<J^- 





-e> -f^^X?;^^ ^> -^^<5:|>- 



BLACK JACK OAK 



{Qucrcus marilandica Muench.) 



THE occurrence of blackjack 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 except the high 

 mountain regions. The tree sometimes reaches a 



BLACK JACK OAK 

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



height of 50 or 60 feet and a diameter of IG 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 on 

 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-brown 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. 



45 



