OAK FAMILY 



of dense tawny tomentum. Cup turbinate, deep, covers one-third 

 to two-thirds of nut, is thick, pale brown and downy within, without 

 it is covered by large, reddish brown, loosely imbricated scales, 

 coated with tomentum. On top of cup are rows of smaller scales 

 which form a thick rim around the inner surface. 



Black Jack is such a peculiar name for a tree that on hear- 

 ing it for the first time, one immediately asks for an explana- 

 tion. The authorities are silent on the 

 subject so one can develop his own 

 theory without fear or favor. This oak 

 varies from shrub to small tree. Its 

 very presence marks the sterility of the 

 soil. Its wood is worthless compared 

 with that of other oaks. It is the pariah 

 of its kind. Since very early times Jack 

 has, in certain ways, been used as a 

 word of opprobrium. A worthless fel- 

 low was a Jack. What more likely, 

 than that the first settlers of this coun- 

 try finding this worthless oak upon worthless land should 

 name it in opprobrium the Jack Oak. As the bark was dark, 

 almost black, it became Black Jack Oak and oak soon drop- 

 ping out, it became as we know it to-day — Black Jack. 



The leaves of this oak are extremely variable, always obo- 

 vate or pear-shaped they vary from a form having no lobes 

 at all to one of three lobes and one of five lobes. 



Black Jack, Quercus man' 

 landica. Acorn y^' long. 



SHINGLE OAK. LAUREL OAK 



Quercus iiubricaria. 



A tree usually fifty to sixty feet high, maximum height one hun- 

 dred, with broad pyramidal head when young, becoming in old age 

 broad-topped and open. A tree of the mid-continent ; rare in the 

 east, abundant in the lower Ohio valley. Reaches its largest size in 

 southern Illinois and Indiana. 



Bark. — Light brown, scaly ; on young stems light brown, smooth. 

 Branchlets slender, dark green and shining at first, later become 

 light brown, finally dark brown. 



372 



