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chestnuts and the beeches belong here. The oaks (Quercus) 
are represented by many species. One of these is the 
pinnatifid-leaved oak, from Japan, with its odd leaves cut 
into long linear lobes; it is said to be a form of the toothed 
oak of Japan. Near by is the rock chestnut oak, of eastern 
North America; its wood is strong and durable, especially 
when in contact with the soil, and is therefore of great 
value for railroad ties and fence posts, and its bark is 
largely used for tanning. The mossy-cup, or bur oak, also 
of eastern North America, may be found here; this was 
discovered by the botanist Michaux in 1795, and is a 
valuable timber tree, its wood largely used for boat-build- 
ing, for the manufacture of carriages and agricultural im- 
plements, for the interior finish of houses, and, on account 
of its durability in contact with the soil, for railroad ties. 
The red oak and the swamp white oak are natives of 
eastern North America; the latter is also a good timber 
tree, its wood being used for cabinet work and in various 
kinds of construction. The Japanese silkworm oak forms 
a part of this collection; its leaves are much like those of 
the chestnut, and might easily be mistaken for them; it is 
often planted in Japan in the silk districts, as its leaves are 
available as food for the silkworms, whence its name; the 
Japanese make charcoal from its wood, and from the bark 
they extract a black dye. The post, or iron oak is a native 
of the eastern United States. Here may be seen also the 
sessile-flowered English oak, a native of Europe and western 
Asia. The large- toothed oak, of Japan, a valued timber 
tree there, is represented near by; as is also the gland- 
bearing oak, another Japanese species. The shingle, or 
laurel oak, of the central parts of the United States, is not 
of much commercial value, as its wood checks badly in 
drying; it is sometimes used in making clapboards and 
shingles. Schneck’s red oak comes from the south central 
parts of the United States. The Turkey oak, of south- 
eastern Europe and western Asia, is valued in that region 
on account of its bark which is used in tanning leather. 
