130 



globose, 1.5-2 cm. long, enclosed for about half their length in the cup- 

 shaped cup; scales light-brown, densely pubescent on the back, obtuse, 

 loose above the middle of the cup; kernel bitter. 



Distribution. Maine, southern Ontario, southern Minnesota, 

 southern Nebraska south to Florida and west to Texas. Found 

 throughout Indiana. It was no doubt found in every county or nearly 

 every county of the State. It of course would be a rare tree throughout 

 the rich black loam soils of the central Indiana counties. The black oak 

 is confined to the poorer soils of the State, such as clay and gravelly 

 ridges, sand dunes, sand ridges, and the hills of southern Indiana that 

 are not covered with beech or white oak. It is a frequent to a common 

 tree in the southwestern part of the State in the bottom lands where it 

 is associated with Schneck's, shingle, and post oaks. In the northern 

 part of the State it is generally associated with the white oak and if the 

 soil is very poor it will form almost pure stands. On the poor ridges of 

 southern Indiana it is generally associated with the white, and scarlet 

 oaks, and invades habitats still poorer which are occupied by post, 

 black jack, or chestnut oaks. Wherever the black oak is found it is 

 generally more than a frequent tree and is usually a common tree or 

 forms the principal stand. While the black is not so uniformly distri- 

 buted over the State as the white oak, yet in point of numbers it nearly 

 equals it, or may even exceed it. 



In Floyd and Harrison Counties are certain small areas which were 

 known to the early settlers as the "barrens." These areas were treeless. 

 They were covered with a growth of some sort of oak which the natives 

 call "scrub" oak, hazel, and wild plum. The height of the growth in 

 any part would "not hide a man on horse back." These areas are now 

 all under cultivation, and are no longer distinguished from the forested 

 areas. However, many parts of the barrens are now covered with 

 forests, but these forests are a complete stand of black oak. Last year 

 one of these areas was cut off, and the age of the trees were ascertained 

 to be about 65 years old. The barrens of southern Indiana and ad- 

 lacent States offer a good problem for ecologists. 



Remarks. Wood similar to that of red oak, but often much in- 

 ferior. The uses of the best grades of black oak are practically the same 

 as red oak. 



Where the black and scarlet oaks are associated, the scarlet oak is 

 rarely separated from it. The two species superficially much resemble 

 each other. The black oak is always easily distinguished by cutting in- 

 to the inner bark which is yellow, while that of scarlet oak is gray or 

 reddish. The inner bark imparts a yellow color to spittle, and the scar- 

 let does not. When mature fruiting branches are at hand they may be 

 separated by the appearance of the acorns. The scales of the cups of the 



