NOTKS ox FOREST AND ORNAMENTAL TREES. 9 



counted for by the fact that they were planted in dense Bermuda sod 

 and have never received cultivation. 



Lire, Oak ((). riri/iiiiiuiu. Miller). The Live oak is especially at 

 home on the wet. clayey soils of our alluvial bottoms. It also adapts 

 itself to the limy rocks and arid climate of the West; where, however, 

 it becomes dwarfed and scrubby. Under favorable conditions, it he- 

 roines a la rue. venerable tree, with a somewhat sort, bulky trunk, four 

 to five feet in diameter, a massive, spreading, dome-like crown, a hun- 

 dred or more feet in diameter. 



The Live oak was first planted here in 1891. It is of extremely 

 slow growth in its early youth; but at five or six years old, it com- 

 mences to grow faster, and having past the age of ten or twelve years, 

 the annual increase in all its proportions is great. It will then yearly 

 add more to its bulk than any of the fast-growing soft woods; and, when 

 these are in their decline, it has barely attained its most vigorous youth. 

 One of our specimens (Plate III), planted in 1891, and standing on 

 the hard-tramped parade ground, has in sixteen years advanced from a 

 sapling 18 inches in height to a tree reaching 28 feet in height, while 

 the spread of its crown is 26 feet in diameter, and the diameter of the 

 trunk, one foot from the ground, is nearly one foot. Other specimens 

 planted later are as tall, but have not yet attained that bulk. 



The Live oak has shown itself very hardy on our grounds. Several 

 individuals which once looked like helpless cripples, due to injuries, 

 have now revived and aie growing luxuriantly. 



From general indications, I conclude that the Live oak is the foliage 

 tree that will attain "the greatest longevity on our soil. 



Over-cup Oak (Q. lymta, Walt). This is a native of Navasota bot- 

 toms in our vicinity, where it attains a height of 100 feet and about 3 

 feet in diameter. It is a white oak, a close relative of the Burr oak, 

 with flaky bark and wood celebrated for durability. This oak was 

 inted in considerable number for avenues on the campus in 1902 

 'late IV). The young trees were before planting in a stunted con- 

 ition, having stood for about two years in nursery rows entirely neg- 

 ated. In spite of this and the fact that the spring was verv dry after 

 msplanting, only a few failed to make a good start. These same 

 ints have made a satisfactory growth ever since, some of them reach- 

 ig a height of 18 feet. 



The Over-cup oak is very variable in habit on our ground; some are 

 r ramidal, while others are umbrella formed, with the main axis di- 

 vided into numerous divergent, or even somewhat pendulous branches. 

 The trees of this kind have generally a denser foliage of darker green 

 hue. 



I 'in Oak or Swamp Pin Oak (Q. palnstris, Du Roi). This tree is 

 native of moist, swampy soil from Massachusetts south to Arkansas. Sev- 

 eral specimens were planted in 1893 and, though in uncultivated ground, 

 have reached a height varying from 22 to 28 feet. Owing to the luxu- 

 riant growth of these a considerable larger number were planted for 

 avenues in 1902. These have been cultivated since planting and hove 

 now a height of 15 feet (Plate V). The Pin oak is a handsome tree of 

 pyramidal habit, with the lower branches horizontal to pendulous. 

 Shingle Oak, Northern Laural Oak (Q. imbricaria, Michx.) is a large 



