70 



STUDIES OF TREES 



fore, only acorns of the same year can be found on trees of 

 this group. Tlie black oaks take two years in which to ma- 

 ture their acorns and, tlierefore, young acorns of the present 



year and mature acorns of 

 the previous year may be 

 found on the same tree at 

 one time. The leaves of the 

 white oaks have rounded 

 margins and rounded loljes 

 as in Fig. 57, while those 

 of the black oaks have 

 pointed margins and sharp 

 pointed lobes as shown in 

 Figs. 60, 62 and 64. The 

 hark of the white oaks is 

 light colored and l)reaks 

 up in loose flakes as in Fig. 

 58, while that of the black 

 oaks is darker and deeply 

 ridged or tight as in Figs. 

 59 and 61. The white oak 

 is the type of the white 

 oak group and the black, 

 red and pin oaks are types 

 of the other. For the char- 

 acterization of the individual species, the reader is re- 

 ferred to the following pages. 



Fig. 57.— Leaf and Fruit of White 

 Oak. (Quercus alba.) 



WHITE OAK {Quercus alba) 

 Distinguishing characters: The massive ramification 

 of its branches is characteristic of this species and often 

 an easy clue to its identification. The bark has a light 



