IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 181 



versal application of metals materially checked the strain 

 on the timber resources, so that to-day our oak groves, as 

 a rule, are suffering only from the demands for fuel and 

 fence-posts, along with the greed for more pasture land. 

 The opening of the large coal fields in southern Iowa 

 materially reduces the fuel demand. 



The Oak family may be characterized as trees or shrubs, 

 with alternate petioled, pinnately-veined leaves, deciduous 

 stipules, and small monoecious, apetalous flowers. The 

 staminate flowers are in pendulous, sometimes erect or 

 spreading aments, wath a 4-7-lobed perianth, and 4-20 

 stamens. The pistillate flowers are solitary or several 

 together, surrounded by an involucre composed of wholly 

 or partially united bracts, which develop into a bur or cup. 

 Perianth 4-8-lobed, adnate to the ovary. Ovary 8-7- 

 celled; ovules 1-2 in each cell, pendulous, only one in each 

 ovary developing. Represented in Iowa by the genus 

 QuERcus L. Sp. PI. 994, 1753. 



* Acorns maturing the first year: leaves not bristle-tipped 

 t Leaves deeply lobed or pinnatifid. 



Quercus alba L. Sp. PI. 996, 1758. White Oak. Bark 

 light gray; leaves oblong or obovate-oblong, green above, 

 smooth, pale or glaucous beneath, short-petioled, sinuate- 

 pinnatifid; lobes linear or oblong, obtuse, entire or lobed, 

 base acute; acorn ovoid-oblong, cup depressed-hemispheric, 

 shallow, about one-third the height of the acorn; scales 

 obtuse, appressed, woolly, at length glabrous, lower ones 

 knotty. 



This species occurs in upland woods, and is more or less 

 common throughout the state. The wood is hard, tough, 

 close-grained, of a brown color, and very strong, qualities 

 which give utility and durability. Hence for construction 

 materials the white oak is held in great esteem. The set- 

 tlers drew from this oak materials for their houses, fences, 

 etc. The trunks which were long and straight made excel- 

 lent framing timbers, as sills, cross-beams, etc., unequaled 

 rails or posts for fences, clapboards or shingles for roofs. 

 On the advent of the local sawmills many trees were cut 



