142 



WOOD AND FOREST. 



43 



Habitat. 



BASKET OAK. Cow OAK. 



Cow refers to the fact that its acorns are eaten by cattle. 

 Quercus michauxii Nuttali. 



Quercus, the classical Latin name; michauxii, named for the botanist 

 Michaux. 



Habitat: (See map) ; 

 best in Arkansas and 

 Louisiana, especially in 

 river bottoms. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree: Height, SO'-lOO'; 

 diameter 3', even 7'; 

 trunk, often clean and 

 straight for 40' or 50'; 

 bark, conspicuous, light 

 gray, rough with loose 

 ashy gray, scaly ridges; 

 leaves, obovate, regularly 

 scalloped ; acorns, edible 

 for cattle. 



Appearance of Wood: 



Color, light brown, sap- 

 wood light buff; ring-por- 

 ous; rings, marked by 

 few rather large, open 

 ducts; grain, likely to be 

 crooked; rays, broad, con- 

 spicuous. 



Physical Qualities : 



Very heavy (5th in this 



Leaf. 



