The Oaks 



Mary E. Donahue 



Perm Yan, N. Y. 



"I am the type of strength and steadfastness. 

 The man who measureth by me his might 

 Howe'er so fierce may prove the conflict's stress 

 Will ever stand un vanquished in the fight." 



C. Scollard. 



"The oak is the most majestic of forest trees. It has been 

 represented as holding the same rank among the plants of the 

 temperate hemispheres that the lion does among the quadrupeds, 

 and the eagle among birds; that is to say it is the emblem of 

 grandeur, strength and duration, of force that resists as a lion 

 is of force that acts." 



— Loudon. 



The oaks are divided into two classes, the white group and the 

 black oak group. In the white oak group, the leaves have rounded 

 lobes and are rough and light colored below, the wood is light 

 cclored, and the acorns have sweet kernels which mature in one 

 year, so that there are no acorns on the branches in winter. To 

 this class belong the white, post, bur, swamp white, chestnut, 

 yellow and chinquapin. Of the black oak group, the leaves are 

 nearly as smooth below as above and have angular lobes ending 

 in sharp points. The bark is dark in color. The acorns have 

 bitter kernels and require two years to mature, so 'that they may 

 be seen on the branches in winter. To this group belong the 

 red, scarlet, black, Spanish, pin, bear, black jack, shingle, and the 

 willow oaks. 



There are many marked resemblances in the oak family. The 

 bark of every species is heavily charged with tannic acid. The 

 roots take hold of the earth in two ways : a strong tap root goes 

 down deep into the ground, and at the same time wide spreading 

 horizontal roots keep near the surface. The leaves vary in form. 

 The character of the inflorescence is the same in every species. 

 The stamens and pistils are separated, borne in different flowers, 

 but both kinds of flowers are produced on the same branch. These 

 appear together just when the leaves are half grown. There is 

 no corolla. The calyx is bell-shaped and divided into four to 

 six divisions. The four to six stamens have protruding filaments 

 and oblong two-celled anthers. 



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