181 



JtlGLANDACE^E : AYALNUT FAMILY. 



CO.— Walnut. {Juglans rnpcstris, Eugelm.) 



A tree of considerable ecouoaiical importance, occurring quite abun. 

 daiitly iu the rich soil of mountain canyons at elevations between 5,000 

 and 8,000 feet, ranging through southern i^ew Mexico (Arizona and 

 along the coast from southern to central California; eastward througli 

 western Texas) ; 30 to 60 feet in height and 1 to 2 feet in diameter. 

 The wood is hard and heavy, but brittle, with a dark rich brown color, 

 and nearly or qnite as valuable for cabinet-work as that of the Black 

 Walnut of the East. 



Bescvipiion. — Leaves compound, with from 5 to 10 pairs of leaflets, which vary 

 in length from 2 to 3f inches by ^ to 1 (chiefly i to |) inch wide; lance-shaped 

 to somewhat broadly so, pointed or rounded at the base, and narrowing to a usually 

 long tbin point ; margin finely toothed ; young leaflets velvety, as are the buds, slioots, 

 and leaf-stems ; with age the former almost without the down, except on tlie veins. 

 Fruit small, velvety when young, becoming more or less smooth at maturity; glob- 

 ular or slightly ovate; ^ to 1 inch in diameter, with a very thin hnsk; shell smooth, 

 wrinkled : sweet and edible. 



CUPULIFER3] : OAK FAMILY. 



67. — Scrub Oak. [Quercus undulata^ var. Gambelii, Engelm.) 



Often a low shrub, or rather small tree, rarely more than 50 feet in 

 height (exceptionally 75 feet) and I^- feet in diameter, occurring abun- 

 dantly on the eastern slopes of the liocky Mountains of Colorado, in the 

 high mountains of southern New Mexico and Arizona, where it probably 

 attains its largest size. (It is also found in the Wahsatch Mountains of 

 central Utah and in the mountains of western Texas ) The timber is 

 heavy, hard, and strong, and rather tough when young, but it is im- 

 portant chietiy for fuel and tan-bark, as the hirge trees are too often 

 liollow and defective for lumber.* 



Description, — Leaves 1 to 5 (mostly 1 to 3) inches long, and f to 3 inches wide, 

 ovate (larger at upper end) or oblong in outline ; margin with bristle-pointed coarse 

 teeth, or rather deeply cut into from 3 to 5 somewhat equal lobes, with rounded 

 ends; young shoots, leaf-stems, and under surface of leaves clothed with velvety 

 yellowish down. Acorns, mostly solitary, sometimes in pairs, ovoid or oblong with 

 sword-shaped i^oint, i to | of an inch in length, and | to ^ an inch in diameter, some- 

 times quite enveloped by the closely scaly and downy cup. t A variable variety, and 

 for the present purpose no attempt is made to describe iu any but general terms 

 the many forms that probably belong here. 



68. — Burr Oak. Mossy-cup Oak. Over cup Oak. (Quercus macro- 



car2)a, Michx.) 



One of the largest and most important timber trees, extending farthest 

 west nnd northwest of any of the eastern Oaks. It is somewhat rare 



* It is ii useful Uve, furnishing desirable soil cover and shade for denuded hillsides. 

 tTruulv and branches often much twisted. 



