CHESTNUT. 109 



northeastern Florida, through the Gulf states to eastern Texas, 

 and through Arkansas to southeastern Missouri, Tennessee, and 

 southern Kentucky. 



In this State, where it reaches an average height of 50 to 60 

 and an average diameter of 2 feet, it occurs in large numbers in the 

 coastal plain region and, scatteringly, in the Piedmont plateau 

 region, in moist situations. (Fig. 28, p. 108). 



The willow oak forms a considerable portion of the second 

 growth hardwood forests on the moist sandy Loams of the coastal 

 plain region and young trees are common along the streams of the 

 Piedmont plateau. Young trees sprout vigorously from the 

 stump. 



The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, pointed at each end, thick, 

 entire or nearly so, and downy when young. The acorns are small, 

 globose, and set in a shallow flattened cup. The buds are small, 

 pointed, smooth, and light brown ; the twigs slender. The willow 

 oak has numerous spreading lateral roots. 



The wood is heavy, strong, not hard, rather close-grained, coin- 

 pact ; light brown in color tinged with red ; the sapwood a lighter 

 red. It it somewhat used for the felloes of wheels, clapboards, 

 and in construction. 



Castanea dentata, Borkhausen. 

 (CHESTNUT.) 



A very common large and valuable tree, with deeply' furrowed 

 dark gray bark, and smooth light gray branches which form a 

 large spreading crown, reaching a height of 120 and a diameter 

 of 13 feet, (Plate XI.) 



It occurs from southern Maine, southern Ontario, and southern 

 Michigan, southward to Delaware and middle Tennessee, and 

 along the Appalachian mountains to northern Alabama, reaching 

 its best development on the western slopes of the southern Alleg- 

 hanies. 



In North Carolina, where it is confined to the mountain region 

 (fig. 29), it reaches an average height of 50 to 70 and an average 

 diameter of 5 feet, but in favorable locations it sometimes attains 

 the largest dimensions given above. 



