OAK. Plate XXI. Strength, solidity, durability are 

 symbolized in the Oak. The tree is connected with the 

 traditions of the race, and it is associated with litera- 

 ture. It is a tree of strong individuality, with bold, free 

 growth and massive framework. Its longevity appeals 

 to every person, even though he has no feeling for 

 trees. It connects the present with the past. It spans 

 the centuries. 



This feeling that the Oak repro^otit-- ■, l..nir ^pnn of 

 years is itself the reason why \v -in ii-! '.' -!.!. r the 



tree with veneration and letit li- : and 



this is the particular lesson whiili : t iMim- 



pn---. >,i,iri' 111, iM. kited 

 Oak trees! Of whatever 

 kind or species, a mature 

 Oak is beyond price. To 

 allow it "to remain be- 



ticular varieties adapted 

 to almost every habitable 

 part of North America. 

 The planting of cheap, 



quick - grow 



and popla 



mon that one almost de- 

 spairs of tlie time when 

 such strong and expres- 

 sive trees as Oaks shall be planted. There is little diffi- 

 culty in the planting of Oaks if one secures nursery- 

 grown stock. They grow more slowly than some other 

 trees, but what they lack in rapidity of growth tliey make 

 up in character and foliage color. It quick etfei-ts are 

 wanted, some fast-growing tree may lie planted with 

 them, to be removed as the Oaks need the space. Some 

 of the species grow nearly or quite as rapidly as hard 

 maples, when young. Other species are mere bushes 

 and make an excellent border-mass on the farther side 

 of large grounds. Of such is the native Scrub-Oak 

 {Quercus itici folia) of the eastern states. The native 

 species are usually the best for any region, from the 

 fact that they are adapted to climate and soil ; and 

 then, a feeling for common native plants is an indica- 

 tion of the highest appreciation and of the keenest re- 

 sponse to the conditions in which one lives. 

 For a full sketch of the kinds of Oaks, see Quercus. 



Among the native deciduous trees of the eastern 

 United States no kinds are more useful or attractive, 

 either in economic value or for ornamental planting, 

 than the various species of Oaks. Hardiness, lon- 

 gevity, beauty of foliage and fruit, exemption from tlie 

 injurious attacks of disease or insect pests, and beauiy, 

 strength and durability of the lumber are among (Im ir 

 especially valuable characteristics. The family of ():i I> s 

 is a large one, but they mix .and vary so mticli l,y 

 natural hybridization and i'i">L'r:i|.lii<-nl V:ivi:,fi'.iis lliat 

 their botany is puzzlin;.' i" ,in i,,.i ii,,, , — i astute 

 scientific students. C;l-.ii:i! ,,i , , , , ,, ,, , ,,,. bot- 

 anists who attempt theii- , : rr sting 



but difficult family to i.i, imi,. \ -jul ir :, tree 



which is probably a hybrid l)efwc«-n t],i- will.)w and Pin 

 Oaks, Fig. 1505, is a fair sample of the kind of variations 

 which are frequent in Oak forests. Experienced woods- 

 men, who are quite familiar with all the Oaks in their 

 neighborhood, find that, a few miles from home, on dif- 

 ferent soil and elevation, they meet with varietal differ- 

 ences of bark, foliage, fruit and general appearance of 



trees which they can scarcely associate with the species 

 as they have known them. 



That Oaks have been esteemed and admired from 

 time imniiiijDrial is evidenced by the numerous forms 

 ill \. lii' li M.. Ir l.:ives and fruit appear in all kinds of 

 i,r:i I ,. • I ,■ III ;ill ages. 



\ I li |ii-cies are objects of interest, but the 



hiiL' I ;. III,,. , |,ri-ially those of the Fringed or Mossy- 

 cu|, I i^ik, ;ui p;inicularly attractive. 



In autumn the foliage of Oaks remains green until 

 many other trees have shed their leaves; then they as- 

 sume rich shades of red, bronze and brown, presenting 

 a splendor of ripening foliage less brilliant but not less 

 beautiful than that which, a few weeks before, arrayed 

 some of their forest companions so gorgeously. 



It has been said that " Who plants Oaks, plants for 

 posteritv." Too often this has been interpreted to mean 

 that Oak trees grow :iii.l .l,,v,I,.p s.. sl.nvly that u pliuit.r 

 may not reasonably r\|,,-,i i,, r<aii/f iiiui'li lirTu'lii I'ruiii 

 his own plantings", iml tlmt li.n- aftiT he Ims passi'd 

 away posterity will n-ap iIh- iiar\cst wliicli lie lias sown. 

 .Tndired from a lumbiiuiaus slaiidpoiut, this is nearly 

 c.'i-n-.'f. The Pin Oak and some other species are ma- 

 tun- at from 75 to 80 years of age, and seldom live more 

 lliaii liHi years, but the White Oaks are not fit for 

 sawing' into lumber until they have passed 125 years of 

 age, and most of the large valuable trees are much older 

 than this. 



The White Oak, found naturally on low lands and clay 

 soil, is unquestionably the patriarchal aristocrat among 

 native trees of the eastern U. S. While it is a sorrow- 

 ful fact that nearly all the tall forest Oaks with largo 

 trunks have fallen before the march of human progress, 

 still there are a few venerable specimens left, with very 

 large, spreading heads, but whose trunks are so short 

 as to have little commercial value. These have un- 

 doubtedly stood for several centuries, and are still in 

 unimpaired strength and vigor, being typical speci- 

 mens of the natural development of their species when 

 allowed time and room for growth in open clearings. 

 One notable example is a White Oak in the Friends' 

 graveyard in the city of Salem, N. J. Its trunk is 19 ft. 

 in circumference 3 ft. from the ground, and its branches 

 cover an area 118 ft. in diamrter n(.rtli and south, and 

 105 ft. east and west. Anoth.r sp.ciiinii in North Mt. 

 Moriah Cemetery, in Delawan- ca.uiiiy. I'a., in the sub- 

 urbs of Philadelphia, measures Lis ft. 4 in. in circumfer- 

 ence of trunk a foot above ground, and 22 ft. 4 in. at ;) 

 ft. above ground, the branches spreading 96 and lOG ft. 

 in diameter. 



A few years ago one such white Oak was ruthlessly 

 destroyed near South Glastonbury, Conn., by its vandal 

 owner for the value of the iire-wood it contained. These 

 trees were no doubt well 

 established in the soil be- „v,tV^. 



fore Christopher Columbus C'^'<^^IJ3 



discovered America. Such '.-.?' ''^■'^^^ 



specimens are now so scarce ,■ "v^-^l ,■"•<#» ^ .■; 



from no other motive. A 

 fine old pasture Oak is 

 shown in Fig. 150G. 



Considered from a gar- 

 dener's or planter's stand- 

 point, the Oaks are among 

 the most valuable of our na- 

 tive trees. An idea that they i 

 plant and slow of growth, for many years almost barred 

 them from cultivation, but experiments made within 

 the past 20 years have done much to correct this popu- 



Field-Eii 



