34 BULLETIN 816, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The red oak! (fig. 24) is probably the best tree for street planting 
in regions 1, 9, 10, and 11 and is satisfactory in regions 6, 7, 8, and 12. 
It is a large, oval, open-headed tree of rapid growth. Under good 
conditions a young red oak will grow 4 feet in a single season. Like 
the other oaks it is slow in coming into leaf in the spring, but holds 
its foliage late in the fall. The leaves usually turn a brilliant red 
before they drop. It is comparatively free from insect and fungous 
attacks, and it is one of the few trees really suitable for planting close 
to the ocean, as it thrives on sandy lands only a few feet bere high 
tide or eatin the reach of ocean spray. 
The scarlet oak? is a large, open, round-headed tree. Its leaves 
are more deeply divided than those of the red oak. As its name 
indicates, the leaves turn a brilliant scarlet in autumn, being even 
more gorgeous than the red oak. This tree is adapted for street 
planting and is especially desirable for suburban conditions in regions 
1, 9, and 10. 
The swamp Spanish oak? is adapted to regions 11, 12, and 13. 
It belongs to the red-oak group, but is larger than the other oaks 
suggested for street planting. It is well adapted to suburban loca- 
tions, but apparently it has not been tested under severe city 
conditions. 
The valley oak‘is a beautiful tree for regions 2 and 3 and the more 
favorable parts of region 5. When transplanted young, especially 
if taken from a pot, it is easily established where there is opportunity 
to water it for a few years. 
The water oak® is frequently confused with the willow oak and 
the laurel oak, as these three oaks are not distinguished from one 
another except by close observers of trees. It is probably more used 
than any other tree in the cities of region 12 and the adjoiming portions 
of region 11. It is the weed of the southern oaks and one of the 
weeds of the street trees of the Southern States. It is comparatively 
short lived and seems to be more subject to attacks of mistletoe and 
more easily affected by windstorms than the willow oak, the Darling- 
ton oak, and the laurel oak. The planting of this tree should be 
avoided, because it is less desirable than the other oaks mentioned. 
The willow oak ® (fig. 1), sometimes erroneously called the water 
oak, is one of the best of the quick-growing oaks for use in regions 
11 and 12. Itis frequently used with the water oak for street plant- 
ing and in the mind of the average planter is confused withit. Itis, 
however, a distinct tree, which can be distinguished readily from the 
1 Quercus maxima (March.) Ashe (formerly Q. rubra). 
2 Quercus coccinea Muench. 
3 Quercus rubra L. (formerly Q. falcata, and certain forms separated by some bovanists as Q. pagodae- 
folia Ashe). 
4 Quercus lobata Nee. 
5 Quercus nigra L. 
6 Quercus phellos L. 
