28 TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 



acorns, in which the Oak has no competition. Within 

 the group itself, however, there is more or less kinship 

 of appearance which is confusing to the person who has 

 given no thought to identifying trees. 



All of the Oaks may be grouped as either white or 

 black. To the former group belong the White Oak 

 proper and the Bur Oak, Swamp White Oak, Chestnut 

 Oak, Overcup Oak, the Post Oak and Live Oak, which 

 may be recognized by the rounded lobes of their leaves, 

 with the exception of the Post Oak and Live Oak, which 

 have no lobes; and by their light grey or light buffish- 

 brown bark, which breaks off into loose, flaky scales. 

 The Bur Oak is distinguished from its close kinsmen by 

 its cork-like branches. The trees of this group mature their 

 acorns in a single year, and for this reason acorns of old and 

 new crops are never found on a tree at the same time. 



To the Black Oak group belong the Black, Red, Pin 

 and Scarlet Oaks, Spanish, Water, Willow and Laurel 

 Oaks. Instead of the rounded lobes of the leaves of the 

 other group, all of these have leaves with lobes that are 

 sharply pointed, or the leaves are tipped with bristles. 

 The Pin Oak may be recognized by its horizontal and 

 drooping zigzag lower branches, the deeply cut leaves, the 

 tiny branchlets set into its limbs suggesting wooden pins, 

 and the small acorns and cups. The Black Oak has rough, 

 dark bark, growing in ridges; its leaves are a deep lustrous 

 green above and dull light olive green beneath; its buds 

 are pointed and have a dense, hairy covering. The inner 

 bark is yellow and has a very bitter taste, in sharp dis- 

 tinction to that of the closely related trees such as 

 Scarlet Oak. The Scarlet and Red Oak have nearly 

 smooth bark. The Red Oak when young has bark that is 

 almost smooth, greyish or greenish cast brown, becoming 

 darker later. Its new twigs are terra-cotta colored and the 



