444 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Quercus alba, Linne.* 



The White or Quebec-Oak. From Canada to Florida, west to 

 Texas. A most valuable timber-tree, becoming fully 100 feet high ; 

 diameter of stem to 7 feet, trunk sometimes 65 feet long to first 

 branch. Mr. B. Heritage records even a stem-circumference of 36 

 feet. Rate of stem-growth in Nebraska according to Governor 

 Furuas 29 inches circumferentially in 22 years. Attains a great age ; 

 succeeds best in rich woodlands, and is of quicker growth than the 

 English oak. The timber is pliable, most durable, one of the very 

 best of all woods for casks, also of first-class value for cabinet-work, 

 for machinery, spokes, naves, beams, plough-handles, agricultural 

 implements, carriages, flooring, basket-material [Sargent] and 

 railway-ties [Robb] ; it is also largely employed in ship-building ; 

 the young saplings serve for hoops and whip-handles. The bark 

 contains about 8 per cent, tannin, and is used also in medicine. 



Quercus aquatica, Walter. 



North- America. Height of tree often 60 feet ; it furnishes a 

 superior bark for tanning. This oak should be chosen for planting 

 in wet ground or for bordering streams. It is of remarkably quick 

 growth. Although the wood is not of much value, yet the tree is a 

 great favorite as a shade-tree, being of rapid growth and fine outline. 

 Prof. C. Koch identified this with the true Q. nigra of Linne. 



Quercus Ballota, Desfontaines. 



Countries at the Mediterranean Sea. Regarded by P. P. Webb, 

 Wilkomm and Lange as specifically distinct in its characteristics 

 from Q. Ilex, being also of a more delicate constitution. The 

 Ballota-acorns form really a considerable share of agreeable table- 

 fruits in the countries of their nativity [Dr. R. Prior]. Much used 

 for feeding swine and working cattle, for the latter considered as good 

 as oats [Campbell]. 



Quercus bicolor, Willdenow. 



Southern White Oak. South-Eastern States of North-America. 

 Closely allied to Q. Prinus, but vernacularly distinguished as Basket- 

 Oak ; it thrives best in deep, damp forest-soil, and is regarded as the 

 most important hardwood-tree in the Gulf region ; will endure 

 flooding ; height reaching 120 feet, stem-length to 70 feet. The 

 growth comparatively slow ; wood similar in applicability to that of 

 the white oak, heavy, hard, tough and very strong, very durable in 

 contact with water [B. E. Fernow] ; it is split readily into thin 

 strips of great strength and flexibility for rough baskets [Dr. C. 

 Mohr]. 



