LIFE STORY OF THE OAK 197 
During the first few years of the seedling, so little 
growth in diameter took place each year that the 
rings are not well 
marked. 
The oak flower. It 
is many years before 
the oak comes to 
flower. Not until it. 
has become quite a 
tree are the flowers 
seen. They appear 
in the early spring, 
before the leaves show 
themselves. Have 
you seen the long, 

slender, graceful clus- 
wg ters hanging on 
Fic. 238. Spray of leaves of oak, pistil flowers the branches of the 
small above, stamen flowers in long clusters. : 
middle-aged or old 
oak in the spring, when the limbs are yet bare? Gather 
some of these and place them on 

paper overnight. Next morn- ISS 
ing there will probably be piles UN 
- : FIG, 239. Fie. 240. 
of a fine yellowish powder. Stamen flower Pistil flower of 
What is this? Pollen dust, you %“°™ 
say. Yes. Then where does it come from? From 
the pollen cases. Then these tresses, called catkins, 
