28 
TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 
acorns, in which the Oak has no competition. Within 
the group itself, however, there is more or less kinship 
of appearance which is confusing to the person who has 
given no thought to identifying trees. 
All of the Oaks may be grouped as either white or 
black. To the former group belong the White Oak 
proper and the Bur Oak, Swamp White Oak, Chestnut 
Oak, Overcup Oak, the Post Oak and Live Oak, which 
may be recognized by the rounded lobes of their leaves, 
with the exception of the Post Oak and Live Oak, which 
have no lobes; and by their light grey or light buffish- 
brown bark, which breaks off into loose, flaky scales. 
The Bur Oak is distinguished from its close kinsmen by 
its cork-like branches. The trees of this group mature their 
acorns in a single year, and for this reason acorns of old and 
new crops are never found on a tree at the same time. 
To the Black Oak group belong the Black, Red, Pin 
and Scarlet Oaks, Spanish, Water, Willow and Laurel 
Oaks. Instead of the rounded lobes of the leaves of the 
other group, all of these have leaves with lobes that are 
sharply pointed, or the leaves are tipped with bristles. 
The Pin Oak may be recognized by its horizontal and 
drooping zigzag lower branches, the deeply cut leaves, the 
tiny branchlets set into its limbs suggesting wooden pins, 
and the small acorns and cups. The Black Oak has rough, 
dark bark, growing in ridges; its leaves are a deep lustrous 
green above and dull light olive green beneath; its buds 
are pointed and have a dense, hairy covering. The inner 
bark is yellow and has a very bitter taste, in sharp dis¬ 
tinction to that of the closely related trees such as 
Scarlet Oak. The Scarlet and Red Oak have nearly 
smooth bark. The Red Oak when young has bark that is 
almost smooth, greyish or greenish cast brown, becoming 
darker later. Its new twigs are terra-cotta colored and the 
