182 



and much smaller as it occurs on the eastern foot-hills of the Eocky 

 Mountains of Montana than in its more eastern range — central, north 

 central, and northeastern States; here, being especially well developed 

 on rich bottom-lands and prairies, sometimes reaching a height of 100 

 feet with a diameter of 4 to 6 feet. The wood is heavy, hard, and 

 tough, and the most durable of any of our oaks. In its Eocky Mount- 

 ain range it is scarcely of any economic importance, but eastward is ex- 

 tensively employed for carriage- and wagon-stock, agricultural imple- 

 ments, lumber, tie- timber, i)osts, etc. 



Descripi'wn. — Leaves ovate, broader above or oblong in outline, tapering rather 

 sharply at the base, 4 to 10 inches long, and 2 to 6 inches wide, more or less deeply 

 lobed (3 to 6 pairs), the latter entire or with shallow blunt teeth or sub-divisions ; 

 young shoots minutely downy, as are the young leaves above and below, though 

 usually becoming smooth on the upjier surface at maturity. Acorns large, broadly 

 ovate, solitary or in pairs (on strong footstalks an inch long), nearly or quite envel- 

 oped by a thick, scaly, mossy -fringed cup, together f to 1^ inches long and f to 1 inch 

 in diameter. 



GO. — "Evergreen Oak." "Lite Oak." [Quercus oUongifolia 



Torrey.) 



A small tree of little economic value, found along the foot-hills of the 

 mountain ranges of southern Arizona and Xew Mexico (southward 

 into Mexico; also on the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, south- 

 ern California). Twenty to 40 feet high, and J to 2J feet in diameter. 

 The wood is very heavy and hard, but brittle ; the largest trees are apt 

 to be hollow, and hence seldom used except as fuel. 



Description, — Leaves evergreen, leathery, 1 to 2 (exceptionally 3) inches long, and 

 ^ to 1 inch wide, chiefly oblong, sometimes ovate-oblong, rounded or slightly heart- 

 shaped at the base, rounded or pointed at the tip ; margin entire or with a few shallow, 

 distant, and usually sharp teeth; smooth above, minutely downy below, but less so 

 in old leaves; young shoots and short leaf-stems velvety. Acorns sessile, or on very 

 short stems, solitary or two to three together, ovate or oblong, I to f, sometimes 1 

 inch long; cups hemispherical, with tuberculate scales. 



70. — White Oak. {Quercus grisea^ Liebmann.) ' 



A tree 40 to 60 feet in height and 1 to Ih feet in diameter, or a low 

 shrub, ranging through the mountains of southern Colorado, southern 

 New Mexico, at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet (westward 

 through southern Arizona to Colorado Eiver, southern California, and 

 southward through northern Mexico). Eather rare in parts of its 

 range. The wood is exceedingly heavy, hard, and strong, but the large- 

 sized trees are too often hollow and almost useless for timber. 



Descnption. — A variable species presenting mau}-^ forms, the position of which is 

 difficult to determine; approximations to closely allied species are especially fre- 

 quent in the shape and character of the leaves. Leaves f to 2^ inches long, and ^ 

 to 1 inch wide, ovate, oblong, or narrowly elliptical in outline, rounded or somewhat 

 heart-shaped at the base, pointed or rounded at the apex; margin entire, undulate- 

 toothed to that with sharp or prickle-pointed teeth (var. punfjcns, Engelm,); young 



