OAK FAMILY 



dry brown leaves and day after day the poor bird sat in her 

 nest at tlie end of a leafless bough, in full sight of every jay 

 and crow in the neighborhood. In fact, they gathered about 

 and assured her of their deep interest in her enterprise. 



The robins stood out bravely for 

 awhile but one day we found the 

 nest deserted and the eggs gone. 



The acorn is much smaller than 

 that of the Red Oak and varies 

 in shape. In color it is reddish 

 brown which is often striped with 

 a darker brown. It sits in a deep 

 cup which embraces nearly one- 

 half the nut. The kernel is yellow 

 and very bitter. 



The Black Oak hybridizes, sports, 

 and generally conducts itself so as to make it the despair of 

 the amateur who wishes to know his trees " on sight." For 

 unless tried by careful tests there are many trees which 

 will deceive the most elect botanist. 



Black Oak. Oiinni^ v,-liiliua. 

 Acorns 'i' to i' long. 



SPANISH OAK 



Qiu'rciii di<^iiatn. 



A tree usually seventy to eighty feet high, with spreading branches 

 which form a round topped open head. Rare in die north Atlantic 

 states, abundant in the south. Tolerant of many soils, it flourishes 

 in dry sandy barrens and on wet low lands. 



Bark. — Dark brown with shallow fissures, scaly, rich in tannic 

 acid. Branchlets stout, covered with rusty tonientum at first, be- 

 coming later reddish brown or ashy gray. 



Wood. — Light reddish brown, sapwood much lighter ; strong, 

 coarse-grained, checks badly in drying. Has high fuel value, some- 

 times used in construction. Sp. gr., 0.6928 ; weight of cu. ft., 43.17 

 lbs. 



Winter Buds. — Chestnut brown, ovoid, acute, one-eighth of an 

 inch long. 



362 



