ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



281 



the long, pointed acorn, two inches long by two- 

 tliirds of an inch thick. It grows, either singly 

 or in open groves, on low mountain slopes, 

 along the streams which course down to the 

 const. The wood is porous and brittle, in tlrs 

 respect quite unlike its congener of the East. 



The Oregon White Oak (Quercus Garryana, 

 Doug.) is a large tree, sometimes reaching 100 

 feet in height. The wood is fine, hard-grained, 

 and very white, strong and durable. Its acorns 

 arc sweet and edible, and constitute an import- 

 ant article iu the support of the Indians of that 

 region. Several other species of less importance 

 occur in California and New Mexico. 



But to return to the Eastern part of the con- 

 tinent, we next come to a consideration of the 

 Chestnut Oaks, which are distinguished from 

 the White Oaks by having their leaves toothed, 

 but not lobed. 



Here we have, first, the Swamp AVhite Oak 

 Quercus bicolor, Willd., and Q. Prinus, var. dis- 

 color, INIichx.). a figure of which (Fig. 172), 

 and of the next species, we copy from Dr. 

 Brcndel's article on Oaks, in the 111. Agr. Soc. 

 Transactions. 



This tree is very widely difl'iiscd tlirough the 

 Eastern, Western and Southern States. Its 



[Fig. 173 J 



Chestnut Oak (,(lncrcus caslanca, Miihl ) 



favorite abode is iu rich, alluvial lands, often 

 forming a considerable portion of the forests 

 covering the bottom lands of the Western rivers. 

 The leaves vary in outline from obovate to ob- 



long, with large and coarse blunt teeth, or with 

 a wavy, coarsely toothed margin, with a soft, 

 whitish down on the under surface, usually 

 tapering to an acute base, and with a very short 

 stem or petiole. The acorns are usually elevated 

 on a stalk, or peduncle, sometimes an inch long. 

 They are quite large, equaling, at least, those 

 of the Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa. Michx.), with 

 the scales of the cup prominent and sometimes 

 mossy fringed on the border. In low bottom 

 lands it fruits abundantly, and in some of the 

 Western States the acorns are an important 

 article for the fattening of swine, and with other 

 hard fruits of the forest are called mast. 



The Chestnut Oak {Quercus castanea, Muhl., 

 and perhaps also of Willd.) (Fig. 173) next 

 claims our attention. 



This tree difters from the preceding in its size, 

 being a much smaller tree; in its favorite situa- 

 tions, which are rough or rocky hills; in its 



[Fig. 171] 



Cliiiifiuapiii Oivli (Qocriiisyi) 



leaves, which closely resemble tliose of the 

 Chestnut; and in the acorns, which arc only 

 about half the size. These poiuts will be readily 

 noticed in the accompanying figure (17o). 



Dr. Gray, and most botanical authors, describe 

 in this group, as a distinct species, aChestnutOdk 

 under the name of Quercus Prinus, L., which is 

 said to be "common southward and scarce north- 

 ward." We have not yet identified this species 

 in the W^est. A variety of this species, called 



