58 FOREST RESOURCES OF TEXAS. 



Chinquapin ( Castanea pumila (Linnaeus) Miller). 



Data are wanting as to the abundance of chinquapin in east Texas, 

 but in certain localities (e. g., near Nacogdoches) there are groves of 

 trees of large size. Nuts are commonly produced in abundance, and 

 find a good market. 



Range. From southern Pennsylvania to northern Florida and east- 

 ern Texas (Neches River). 



"White oak (Quercus alba Linnaeus). 



The identity and occurrence of the true white oak are not deter- 

 mined for Texas. White oaks there are in great abundance, but those 

 examined by the writer are not Q. alba Linnaeus. 



Range. From southern Maine to Florida, and west to Nebraska and 

 Texas. 



Post oak (Quercus minor (Marsh.) Sargent). 



This is by far the most abundant oak in Texas. It occupies gravelly 

 clay or sandy upland soils in the Lignitic Belt, extending southwestward 

 along the Fayette Prairie formation to Carrizo Springs. The "Cross 

 Timbers," composed of this species, are found in the granite and car- 

 boniferous areas of central Texas to the one hundredth meridian. The 

 post oak forest is heavy in east Texas, open and orchard-like westward. 

 Eastward it attains a normal height of 60 to 80 feet and diameter of 3 

 to 4 feet. Westward the height is from 30 to 50 feet and the diameter 

 1 to 2 feet. 



In all of the drier parts of its Texas range the post oak is likely to 

 be diseased. Doty wood caused by fungous growth and dwarfed and 

 misshaped limbs are common. The wood is durable in contact with 

 soil, and has been used for railway ties and local construction. Great 

 quantities are consumed as fuel, both in the timber belt and in the 

 towns and cities of the Black Prairie. Elsewhere the wood is said to 

 be used for cooperage, shipbuilding, and carriage stock. 



Range. Widely distributed over the eastern half of the United 

 States. 



Bur oak, mossy-cup oak (Quercus macrocarpa Michaux). 



This is a very abundant and valuable tree in east Texas, where it 

 attains a height of 100 feet and a diameter of 3 to 4: feet on the rich, 

 alluvial river bottoms. On the lower Trinity and San Jacinto it is 

 common. It occurs sparingly in the canyons of the Edwards Plateau, 

 where it reaches a good size, considering the aridity. The wood of 

 the bur oak is heavy, hard, strong, compact, and very durable in 

 contact with the soil. It is used in shipbuilding, cooperage, furni- 

 ture, etc. , and is said to be the equal of white oak for these purposes. 

 In Texas much of it has been used for railway ties and staves. 



Range. Eastern North America from New Brunswick and Nova 

 Scotia to Pennsylvania, west to Montana (east base of Rocky Moun- 

 tains), and southwestward into Texas to the Nueces River. 



