484 Our American Oaks. 



few rods of us are several splendid trees, 40 to 50 feet high, 

 and of proportionate spread of limbs. In favorable places it 

 is a most beautiful tree. The leaves are large, somewhat 

 wedge-shaped, six inches long and three broad, dark green 

 above, and light-colored beneath, entire towards the base, but 

 coarsely and obtusely toothed towards the summit ; at a ma- 

 ture age the under side is of a silvery whiteness. The acorns 

 jire large, obtuse, brownish, and set in a broad cup, more 

 downy than those of any other oak. The branches diverge 

 at a large angle, and form a fine broad head. 



5. Chestnut Oak, (Q. prinos palustris.) A beautiful oak, 

 scantily diffused throughout the Northern and Eastern States, 

 but very abundant near Philadelphia and further south, ex- 

 tending even to the banks of the Mississippi. Mr. Emerson 

 only found a few straggling trees in Massachusetts. With 

 the Rock Chestnut oak it appears most abundant near Mid- 

 dleboro'. 



Its foliage is beautiful, resembling the chestnut. The 

 leaves are eight or nine inches long, and four or five broad, 

 obovate and deeply toothed, light green above, and whitish 

 below. The acorns are large, next in size to the Overcup, 

 brown, and set in shallow cups. It has a straight, undivided 

 trunk, and, in favorable soils, of a uniform size to the height 

 of 50 feet, its expanded, tufted summit forming " one of the 

 most beautiful and majestic trees in the North American for- 

 ests." 



6. Rock Chestnut Oak, (Q. prinos monticolor.) This is 

 another magnificent species, often confounded with the last 

 named. Like it, it is sparsely diffused in New England ; but 

 quite differing from it, it is found only on rocky hills, and 

 confined to small districts. Some fine patches of it, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Emerson, are growing in South Attleboro' and 

 Middleboro', and on both sides of the Connecticut River. 



For symmetry of form and luxuriance of foliage, this is 

 the finest of our American oaks. The leaves are oval, five 

 to six inches long, and three to four broad, uniformly and 

 obtusely toothed on each side, often ending in a hard point : 

 they are of a smooth shining green above, and lighter beneath. 



