Handbook of Teees of the XoirniKux States and Canada. 105 



Tlie White Oak i^ oiip of tliP most useful 

 trees of the American forests, attaining uniler 

 most favorable conditions when growing in the 

 turest a height of 150 ft. and trunk 4-5 ft. in 

 diameter. Wlieii isolated from otlier trees its 

 liahit is to form a very broatl top of hrm, rigid 

 horizontal branches and siiort thick trunk — 

 the emblem of strength and solidity. It takes 

 its name from the light color of the scaly ridged 

 bark, the aptness of which is shown in the 

 accompanying illustration. It is one uf the 

 most common and generally distributed Oaks 

 of the Atlantic states and Mississippi basin, 

 growing alike on rich uplands and river bot- 

 toms where not too moist, in company with 

 several of the Hickories. Tulip-tree, Sweet and 

 Sour Uums, Magnolias, Red and other Oaks, 

 etc. 



Its wood, of which a cubic foot when aliso 

 lutely dry weighs 4().35 lbs., is the standard of 

 excellence among the Oaks and is used for fur 

 niture-making, interior finishing, cooperage, tlu' 

 manufacture of agriculutral implements, bas- 

 kets, railroad ties, etc., and for fuel.i 



Leaves obovate to oblong, wedge-shaped at base, 

 sinuate-pinnatifid with usually 5-7 broad, but 

 sometimes narrow, oblique-rounded entire lobes. 

 rpd and pale pubescent when they unfold hut 

 finally .slabrous dark green above, paler beneath. 

 4-9 in. long, turning rich dark red in autumn 

 withnring and hanging to the branches until lat" 

 in the winter: petioles stout glabrous. Flnwrifi ■ 

 staminate aments 121/2-4 in. long; calyx yellow 

 pubescent: stamens (5 8: pistillate with broad in 

 volucral scales and short dilated stigmas. FniH 

 maturing the first autumn. spssi]i> or nearly so 

 abortive ovules basal ; acorn avoid-oblong. lustrous, 

 about % in. long and about '4 covered by tb'- 

 fiattish hpmisnhpric tnmi'nto^p cup. warty 'b(>l(v 

 with thickpnnd and nnitpd scales v>hich near th" 

 rim are tbin arnl nii'mhranons. 



1. A. W., II, 38. 



