312 



THE AMERICAN 



groimd from New Jersej"^ to Florida and west- 

 ward, being probably most abundant in North 

 and South Carolina. It varies in height from 

 30 to 60 feet, with a straight trnnk, and a smooth 

 thick bark. The leaves, as the name indicates, 

 resemble those of the willow, being narrowly 

 lanceolate, three to four inches long, very 

 smooth and deciduous. The acorns are small 

 and roundish. The timber is coarse grained, 

 and of little value. 



[Fig. 106.] 



Laurel or Shingle Oak {Quercus imbricaria, Micli,\.) 



3. The Shingle Oak [Quercus inibricaria, Mx.) 

 This is a tree of moderate size, with a roundish 

 dense head, smoothish black bark, leaves four 

 to five inches long, thick and shining, oblong 

 or lance oblong, acute pointed, with a very short 

 petiole, sometimes slightly wavy on the mai-gin, 

 but not toothed, and the under surface downy 

 when young. Tlie acorn is roundish, small, 

 lialf an inch long, the cup shallow and enclosing 

 about one-fourth of the acorn. This tree is quite 

 common in some parts of the "Western States, 

 becoming more abundant farther south, and 

 reaching west to the headwaters of the Arkan- 

 sas river. Its wood is of little value, making 

 even poor shingles. It is known in different 

 localities by different names, as Laurel Oak, 

 Pin Oak, Black Jack, and Shingle Oak. 



A form or variety of Oak which has been con- 

 sidered a hybrid, has been known in a few 

 localities for many years as Quercus Leana. A 

 description of this tree, by Dr. F. Brendel, in 

 whose vicinity it grows, will be found at the 

 close of this article. 



[Fig. I'J-.] 



Water Oak (Q^uercus aquatica, Catesby) . 



4. The "Water Oak (QwercMS aquatica, Catesby.) 

 This tree is a native of the Southern States. It 

 grows from 40 to 60 feet high, the wood is tough, 

 the bark smooth, or in the old trees slightly 

 furrowed. The leaves are very peculiar in form, 

 being somewhat wedge-shaped, or rather with 

 a long and narrow wedge-sliaped base, expanded 

 at the top into a somewhat thi-ee-lobed, obovate 

 summit. They are smooth and shining, about 

 three inches long, and the summit one to one 

 and a half inches broad. The acorn is about 

 half an inch long, cup shallow, half an inch 

 broad. 



6. Black Jack, or Jack Oak {Q. nigra, Linn., 

 "Willd.) A small sized tree from 16 to 25 or 30 

 feet high, with thick, rough, black bark, grow- 

 ing mostly in thin, poor soil, usually forming a 

 dense roundish head. The leaves are thick and 

 leathery in texture, five or six inclies long, 

 expanding at the top into about three broad, 

 bristle-pointed lobes, gradually narrowed be- 

 low, and ending in a rounded base, with very 

 short petiole — they are covered with a rusty 

 down on the under surface, as is also the young 

 twigs — the upper surface is shining and veiny. 



