476 



ANGIOSPERMS 



Fig. 418. — The flowers and 

 fruit of the Red Oak. Above, 

 a flowering branchlet bearing a 

 cluster of staminate catkins be- 

 low and solitary pistillate flowers 

 above ( X ^) ; at the right, above, 

 a pistillate flower, and just be- 

 low, a staminate flower; at the 

 bottom, a mature fruit, showing 

 the matured ovary and the cu- 

 pula (natural size). After Burns 

 and Otis. 



From the Cork Oak the cork 



spools, and paper pulp. The bark 

 of the Paper Birch was employed 

 by the Indians for canoes^ baskets, 

 cups, and for sheathing wigwams. 



Beech and Oak Family (Faga- 

 ceae). — This family includes the 

 Beeches, Chestnuts, and Oaks. 



The plants of this family are 

 monoecious trees or shrubs with 

 staminate flowers in catkins or 

 clusters, and pistillate flowers soli- 

 tary or slightly clustered {Fig. 418). 

 The fruit is a one-seeded nut 

 partly or entirely enclosed by a 

 covering called cupule, which is 

 formed by bracts that develop at 

 the base of the ovary and grow 

 up over it. 



The nuts of the Chestnut are 

 common on the market and are of 

 considerable value for food. Beech 

 nuts contain much oil and are a 

 good feed for hogs. From the 

 Oaks, of which there are a large 

 number of species, a large propor- 

 tion of our hardwood is obtained. 

 The beautiful figures which Oak 

 lumber can be made to show make 

 it a valuable wood for furniture, 

 inside finishing of buildings, and for 

 cabinet work. Beech wood is very 

 hard and is used considerably for 

 hardwood floors and in the manu- 

 facture of furniture. Chestnut wood 

 is soft but durable and is used for 

 fences and buildings. The bark of 

 Oak and Chestnut trees is rich in 

 tannin and at one time was the 

 source of tannin for tanning hides, 

 of commerce is obtained (Fig. 419). 



