STUDIES OF TREES IN WINTER 



the black oak, the red, the scarlet, the pin, and 

 the bear or scrub oak belong to the second 

 group. 



The oak is distinguished from all other trees 

 by its acorn. 



The general characteristics of the oaks in 

 winter are as follows: — 



The upper lateral buds cluster at the top of 

 the twig. 



The buds have a tendency towards being 

 five-sided in shape. 



The bud scales are close and overlapping. 



The leaf-scars project from the stem. 



The bundle-scars are scattered over the leaf- 

 scar. 



The pith is five-angled. By cutting a twig 

 across, the pith can be seen in the centre in 

 the form of a five-rayed star. 



The leaves very often remain on oaks 

 through the winter. 



The following characteristics distinguish the 

 white oaks from the black oaks : — 



The bark of the white oaks is lighter in color 

 than that of the black oaks, and it flakes off in 

 strips instead of breaking away in coarse ridges, 

 as it does in the black oaks. 



The acorns of the white oaks mature in one 

 year, those of the black oaks take two years to 



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