76 TREES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



open head of striking grandeur, the diameter at the base 

 of which is sometimes two or three times the height of 

 the tree. 



Bark. Trunk and larger branches light ash-gray, some- 

 times nearly white, broken into long, thin, loose, irregular, 

 soft-looking flakes ; in old trees with broad, flat ridges ; 

 inner bark light ; branchlets ash-gray, mottled ; young shoots 

 grayish-green, roughened with minute rounded, raised dots. 



Winter Buds and Leaves. Buds J to inch long, round-ovate, 

 reddish-brown. Leaves simple, alternate, 3-7 inches long, 

 2-4 inches wide, delicately reddish-tinted and pubescent upon 

 both sides when young ; at maturity glabrous, light dull or 

 glossy green above, paler and somewhat glaucous beneath, 

 turning to various reds in autumn ; outline obovate to 

 oval ; lobes 5-9 ; ascending, varying greatly in different trees ; 

 when few, short and wide-based, with comparatively shallow 

 sinuses ; when more in number, ovate-oblong, with deeper 

 sinuses, or somewhat linear-oblong, with sinuses reaching 

 nearly to midrib ; apex of lobe rounded ; base of leaf taper- 

 ing ; leafstalks short ; stipules linear, soon falling. The 

 leaves of this species are often persistent till spring, espe- 

 cially in young trees. 



Inflorescence. May. Appearing when the leaves are half 

 grown ; sterile catkins 2-3 inches long, with slender, usually 

 pubescent thread ; calyx yellow, pubescent ; lobes 5-9, pointed : 

 pistillate flowers sessile or short-peduncled, reddish, ovate- 

 scaled. 



Fruit. Maturing in the autumn of the second year, single, 

 or more frequently in pairs, sessile or peduncled : cup hemi- 

 spherical to deep saucer-shaped, rather thin ; scales rough- 

 knobby at base : acorn varying from -J- inch to an inch in 

 length, oblong-ovoid : meat sweet and edible, said to be when 

 boiled a good substitute for chestnuts. 



Horticultural Value. Hardy in New England ; grows well 

 in all except very wet soils, in all open exposures and in light 

 shade ; like all oaks, difficult to transplant unless prepared 

 by frequent transplanting in nurseries, from which it is not 

 readily obtainable in quantity ; grows very slowly and nearly 



