A STUDY OF THE SPECIES. 17 



The largest specimen measured on The University Domain was 8 inches 

 in diameter. No reproduction was found. 



II t '■/, occurs on The University Domain only by scattered specimens 

 in Lost Creek Cove, on Northerly Slope, generally between the 

 plateau's edge and the first bench. Most of the trees are less than 20 

 feet high; the largest found was 75 feet high and 19 inches in diameter. 

 Beech seeds abundantly every five years. The nuts are eagerly 

 sought. The tree thrives in deep shade. It is sensitive to fire. 



Chestnut, once very common at Sewanee, is now represented on the 

 plateau onl} r by scattered specimens on the ridges and by sprouts from 

 the stumps of cut trees, while in the coves it seldom occurs below the 

 second bench. It makes a large, full-crowned tree with a good pro- 

 portion of clear length. Fortj^ inches is the maximum diameter at 

 Sewanee; 15 the average. 



Chestnut is not exacting in its demands upon the soil. It is con- 

 fined to the poor gravelly ridges of the plateau and to the sandstone- 

 littered parts of the coves. This is not because it prefers such situa- 

 tions, but because it can not bear the shade which it would have to endure 

 on better soils. As most of the other trees can not grow except in good 

 soil, Chestnut is left almost alone on the poor places. The trees bear 

 manj" nuts, few of which are left to germinate. The branches are 

 clubbed for the fruit before the frosts have made it fall, and what is 

 not picked up by the nut-gatherers becomes the food of hogs. The 

 abuse the trees receive bv clubbing doubtless has much to do with the 

 limited representation of the species. It has been observed that those 

 Chestnuts clubbed hj nut-gatherers lose their leaves in the autumn a 

 fortnight or more before the rest. Borers attack Chestnut, and fungi 

 are common to it. 



White Oak is the important tree of the Sewanee forest. It is found 

 in all situations and soils, but reaches its best dimensions in the coves, 

 where, in the good soil of north and northeast slopes, it becomes a 

 tall tree, with a long, straight, clear bole. Here it occurs singly in 

 mixture with Tulip-tree, Shagbark, Pignut, White Basswood, Cucum- 

 ber-tree, White Elm, White Ash, and Black Walnut. On south and 

 southeast slopes White Oak associates in groups of short, limby trees, 

 with Pignut, Scarlet Oak, and Yellow Oak. On the plateau the best 

 White Oak is found in the Bottom type, although there are many 

 large trees on Oak Flat. The tree is not so tall on the plateau as in the 

 coves, but it sometimes reaches a diameter of 30 inches. The open 

 plateau tends to develop large, low crowns, and few of the White 

 Oaks found there have much first-class lumber in them. 



Quantities of seed are. borne almost every other j T ear, but hogs get 



most of the acorns. Germination is more apt to occur on a bed of 



leaves than on bare soil. Few of the seedlings live more than a year, 



on account of the fires and cattle. Young trees are tolerant of shade, 



15263— No. 39-03 2 



