The Oaks 



There is a wonderful story of struggle and victory mutely but 

 eloquently told by this tree, as it contends with the adverse con- 

 ditions of soil and weather, grappling the rocky ground with its 

 spreading roots and losing nothing in dignity and character as its 

 size dwindles and it reaches its limit — 5,000 feet. This low, knotty 

 oak chaparral that the mountain climber grasps so thankfully as 

 he faces toward the summit is fringed with yellow tassels in the 

 spring and set in autumn with golden acorn cups, even as are its 

 brethren, the gnarled giants he passed on the terraces 3,000 feet 

 lower down. In the highest elevations, 8,000 to 9,000 feet above 

 the sea, this oak is reduced to a foot in height. This is the "huckle- 

 berry oak" of the Sierra Nevada range, va.nety vaccinifolia, of the 

 parent species. Another dwarf variety, Palmeri, called the Pal- 

 mer oak, grows on the boundary between California and the lower 

 peninsula. 



The California Live Oak (Quercus agrijolia, Nee.), with 

 holly-like leaves, is a ponderous tree with a low, wide dome, very 

 common in California, extending to the coast and farther to the 

 islands of the southern half of the state. 



The wood of this species is of a hard, durable sort, but can be 

 got out only in short boards, as the trunk is not tall. It is excellent 

 for fuel. 



The Highland Oak {Quercus Wisli^eni, A. DC.) is a large 

 tree on the elevated foothills back from the coast in California. 

 Its dark green, shining evergreen leaves resemble those of holly. 

 Ilex opaca, except that they are more finely toothed, and some- 

 times entire. The acorn is long and slender. The wood is of 

 especial value in mechanical construction, being hard, tough, 

 strong and durable. It is also valuable as fuel. 



The Kellogg Oak, or California Black Oak {Quercus Cali- 

 fornica. Coop.), is large and beautiful, spreading wide its pictur- 

 esquely gnarled branches covered with smooth, bright green 

 leaves, much like those of the Eastern red oak. It has also stout 

 twigs and rough dark-coloured bark, and the reddish coarse- 

 grained wood strengthens still farther the resemblance of the two 

 trees. The acorns of the V/estern tree, however, sit in deep cups 

 that half conceal them; the red oak holds its nuts in shallow 

 saucers. 



The uplands only satisfy this Western black oak. It holds 

 aloof from the plains and keeps back from the sea. Sunny open 



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