DECIDUOUS TBEES. 313 



The Spanish Oak, Q.falcata, is a southern oak resembling the 

 black oak in its bark, and with leaves somewhat like those of the 

 pin oak and scarlet oak. 



The Black Jack Oak, Q. nigra, is a dwarf species of no value 

 for decorative planting. 



The Marsh or Pin Oak. Q. palustris.—lt has been prettily 

 remarked of this tree that it is a graceful savage. A 

 99- thorny, scraggy tree, armed like a hedge-hog against 

 approach, when growing wild in wet ground, but full 

 of grace with its delicate light foliage when in full leaf 

 in open ground. A multitude of small branches, of 

 great hardness of fibre, radiate at right angles from 

 the main stem, and with their numerous angular 

 branchlets and thorn-like spurs, give the tree the ap- 

 pearance, when bare of leaves, of a prodigious natural 

 hedge-plant. The bark is extremely hard, and darker 

 colored than that of the red oak, but smooth when 

 young. The leaves, the form of which is shown by 

 Fig. 99, are smaller and lighter colored than most 

 oaks. When grown in open ground the lower branches droop to 

 the ground, and the light-green of its fine-cut foliage, the sharpness 

 of its stratified lights and shadows, and the general downward 

 sweep of its branches, altogether make it a pleasing tree ; and, in 

 Loudon's opinion, " the most graceful of the oaks." This, however, 

 is no great compliment, remembering that grace is not a character- 

 istic of the oak family. Our cut gives the usual form of a young 

 pin oak, but does not indicate sufficiently the drooping habit of 

 the lower branches. 



Willow Oak Group. 



Willow Oaks. Quercus Phellos. — These are seldom seen north 

 of Philadelphia. There, and southward, they become large trees, 

 whose dark bark and foliage give them a sombre appearance. 

 Leaves very small, lanceolate, smooth edged, and willow-like. 



