The oaks are closely linked with American history. On the banks of the 

 river Osamece in Santo Domingo is an oak which is traditionally known as the 

 tree to which Columbus tied his ship when he founded the colony "Hispaniola." 

 The "Charter Oak" at Hartford, which fell in 1856, concealed the charter of 

 the Colony of Connecticut in a large cavity in its trunk until James II, who 

 demanded it, was driven from the English throne. A large black oak stands 

 near Haverstraw, New York, under which it is said "Mad" Anthony Wayne 

 mustered his men in preparation for his brilliant charge on Stony Point. In 

 the Friends' Cemetery at Salem, New Jersey, stands a massive oak the 

 branches of which cover a quarter of an acre. Under it the soldiers of Wash- 

 ington's Continental Army were drilled in Revolutionary days. 



Many years ago, Senator Charles Sumner sent an acorn from an oak which 

 formerly overshadowed the old tomb of Washington at Mount Vernon to 

 the Czar of Russia. This was planted in the palace grounds at Peterhof, 

 and grew into a beautiful oak which has a tablet at its base bearing the follow- 

 ing inscription: 



"The acorn planted here was taken from an oak which shades the 

 tomb of the celebrated and never-to-be-forgotten Washington; it is 

 presented to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russians, as 

 a sign of the greatest respect, by an American." 



Senator Hitchcock gathered acorns from this tree and sent them to 

 Washington. One of the small oaks grown from these acorns was planted on 

 April 6, 1904, in the White House grounds by President Roosevelt and is 

 known as the Russo-American oak. 



The city of Oakland, California, took its name from the oaks among which 

 it was originally located. A few years ago, an oak was planted in the plaza 

 before the city hall in memory of Jack London, who was a native of Oakland. 



Oaks are excellent street and ornamental trees. They are strong, durable, 

 beautiful and have few insect enemies. There is a popular notion that oaks 

 are slow growing trees, but it has been demonstrated that some oaks make as 

 rapid growth as hard maple and other trees commonly planted. Some of the 

 finest streets in Washington are planted with pin oaks, a species the worth 

 of which has not yet been sufficiently recognized in this state. It is a handsome 

 tree with finely divided deciduous foliage that takes on a scarlet and yellow 



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