TREES. 99 



ships, houses, cars, bridges, and large machinery 

 are nearly all made of white oak. It is also used 

 to a large extent in making strong casks, handles 

 for tools, frame work for carriages and wagons, and 

 different parts of small machinery. There has been 

 such a demand for it in so many lines that it will 

 soon disappear if replanting is not vigorously begun. 



It is also one of the most beautiful and sub- 

 stantial woods for furniture and inside finish, tak- 

 ing the highest polish and giving an air of strength 

 and solidity so desirable in such work. Some of 

 the red oak group are equal to, or even better 

 than the white oak, for the last named purposes, 

 because of the darker color of the wood. 



Oak ranks among the best of hard woods for 

 fuel. It burns with a hot, cheerful blaze and lasts 

 for a long time. The early settlers of the Missis- 

 sippi valley used it not only for fuel, but they split 

 it into rails for fencing, cut it into posts, and built it 

 into frames of houses and barns. The white oak 

 stands the effect of outdoor, wet weather better 

 than any of the other species, save, perhaps, the 

 post oak, which is its closest relative. 



May the time soon come when every farm can 

 boast of its grove of young oaks, to be handed 

 down as a noble heritage to future generations. . 



THE COTTONWOOD. 



The Cottonwood belongs to the poplar family. 

 They all have soft wood and are very rapid grow- 



