16 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE OAKS. 
The Willow Oak is found as far west as the banks 
of the Arkansa and several of its branches. 
Live Oak, ( Quercus virens.) Trees near Magnolia, 
in West Florida, occur of 8 to 9 feet diameter; it con- 
sequently affords large timber. Great quantities of this 
wood are now brought from the coast of West Florida. 
According to Wm. Bartram, the Live Oaks on the St. 
John’s in East Florida, are from 12 to 18 feet in circum- 
ference; the trunk there rises only from 12 to 20 feet, 
when it throws out 3 to 5 large limbs, which continue 
to grow in nearly a horizontal direction, each limb form- 
ing a gentle curve from its base to its extremity, [Bar- 
tram’s Travels, p. 85;) and he adds, I have stepped 
above 50 paces, on a line, from the trunk of one of 
these trees to the extremity of the branches. The wood 
is almost incorruptible, even in the open air. The 
acorn is small, agreeable to the taste when roasted, and 
in this state they are eaten by the aborigines as we do 
Chestnuts. 
Stately avenues are formed of the Live Oak in South 
Carolina and Georgia, which, robed in Long Moss, put 
on an air of sombre grandeur and wildness. 
In addition to the geographical limits of the Oaks, I 
may add, that according to the observations of Mr. G. 
B, Emerson, the Rock Chestnut Oak ( Quercus montana , 
Willd.), occurs in many parts of Massachusetts; he has 
also found the Yellow Oak ( Q. castanea , Willd.), about 
Agamenticus Mountain in York, (Maine.) “It is also 
found at Saco, in Maine, 25 miles further north.” The 
Black Oak, (Q. tinctorial) “is found in York county, 
Maine, Q. palustris, (Pin Oak,) is very rare in Massa- 
chusetts.” Mr. Emerson also corroborates my own ob- 
servations concerning the prevalence of the Post Oak 
on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, and adds, that “it 
