10 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



tree with lanceolate, entire, shining leaves; native of the Northern 

 States. The few trees of this species, planted in 1891, lingered for 

 six or eight years and then all but one died. 



Water Oak, also called Pin Oak in Texas (Q. nigra, L., Q. aquatica, 

 Michx.). This tree grows luxuriantly along every watercourse in our 

 vicinity. It is also found growing well in situations where the water 

 has changed its course, or receded, leaving the tree in the dry, sterile 

 soil. In the Navasota bottoms, it is found in greater number along 

 the transitions from bottom to upland than in the midst of the deep 

 alluvium near the river. It is also very common in the stiff, clayey soil 

 along watercourses with no alluvial deposit, where it grows vigorously, 

 even in dry seasons, after the drying up of the creek. The Water oak is 

 one of the noblest ornamental trees of the South, yet seldom planted; 

 because, being an oak, and as such is erroneously and ignorantly sup- 

 posed to be of too slow growth to afford any enjoyment to the planter. 

 What makes it especialty valuable as an ornamental tree is its quick 

 growth, the uniform, pyramidal habit; the striking effect in our bright 

 sunshine'of its dense, dark green and almost persistent foliage, and also 

 the ease with which it seems to thrive on a great variety of soils. This 

 oak can also be more readily transplanted than any other oak, with 

 which I have had experience, since the tap root branches into laterals at 

 a very early age. 



In 1890 the first Water oak, then a less than a year old seedling 18 

 inches high, was planted on the campus. This is now, after seventeen 

 years, 32 feet high, with a spread of 32 feet in diameter (Plate VI). 

 It is by far the most handsome tree on the campus. In 1902, after the 

 success of this tree seemed assured, a considerable number of young 

 saplings of the Water oak, varying from 12 to 18 inches in height, were 

 planted. These are now growing as luxuriantly as the first, having in 

 five years attained a height varying from 13 to 17 feet (Plate VII). 



White Oak (Q. alba, Linn) is a native from Canada almost to the 

 Gulf. In East Texas, where I have observed this tree, it is occasionally 

 found on the uplands, where it appears to grow almost as luxuriantly as 

 on the alluvial soil in the vicinity of swamps and creeks. It is there a 

 magnificent, tall, pyramidal tree with slender, ascending branches, and 

 foliage of a peculiar bright green color, by which it is distinguished 

 from other trees at a great distance. It seems to be of a fast growth, 

 as saplings growing in a thicket of Maples, Sweet gum, and other fast 

 growing plants, generally succeed in holding their own in the skywai 

 race. Several specimens of White oak were planted in 1892, and mos 

 of them have made splendid growth, the tallest being 17 feet higl 

 (Plate VIII). 



CONNIFERS. 



Arbor Vitce (Biota aureantalis, Endl.). Several varieties of this Arboi 

 Vitae, varying in color, in form, and in size from shrubs to trees, have 

 been planted. They are all very hardy on our ground and quite orm 

 mental while young, but with age lose their compactness and becom< 

 exceedingly ragged and unsightly. 



Rosedale Hybrid. This arose as a natural hybrid in the nursery o:l 

 William Watson, near Brenham, Texas, and is a cross between Bioi 



