Wood and Forest Part 23

[Ill.u.s.tration: Habitat.]

HABITAT: (See map); best in Arkansas and Louisiana, especially in river bottoms.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Leaf.]

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TREE: Height, 80'-100'; diameter 3', even 7'; trunk, often clean and straight for 40' or 50'; bark, conspicuous, light gray, rough with loose ashy gray, scaly ridges; leaves, obovate, regularly scalloped; acorns, edible for cattle.

APPEARANCE OF WOOD: Color, light brown, sap-wood light buff; ring-porous; rings, marked by few rather large, open ducts; grain, likely to be crooked; rays, broad, conspicuous.

PHYSICAL QUALITIES: Very heavy (5th in this list); 46 lbs. per cu.

ft.; sp. gr., 0.8039; very strong (12th in this list); elastic (33d in this list); hard (10th in this list); shrinkage, 4 per cent. or more; warps unless carefully seasoned; durable; hard and tough to work; splits easily, bad to nail.

COMMON USES: Construction, agricultural implements, wheel stock, baskets.

REMARKS: The best white oak of the south. Not distinguished from white oak in the market.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Radial Section, life size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tangential Section, life size.]

44

BUR OAK. MOSSY-CUP OAK. OVER-CUP OAK.

_Quercus macrocarpa_ Michaux.

_Quercus_, the cla.s.sical Latin name; _macrocarpa_, refers to the large acorn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Habitat.]

HABITAT: (See map); best in southern Indiana, Illinois and Kansas.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Leaf.]

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TREE: Height, 70'-130', even 170'; diameter, 5'-7'; branches, high; corky wings on young branches; bark, gray brown, deeply furrowed; deep opposite sinuses on large leaves; acorns, half enclosed in mossy-fringed cup.

APPEARANCE OF WOOD: Color, rich brown, sap-wood, thin, lighter; ring-porous; rings, marked by 1 to 3 rows of small open ducts; grain, crooked; rays, broad, and conspicuous.

PHYSICAL QUALITIES: Heavy (9th in this list); 46 lbs. per cu. ft.; sp.

gr., 0.7453; very strong (16th in this list); elastic (37th in this list); hard (9th in this list); shrinkage, 4 per cent. or more; warps, ..........; hard, and tough to work; splits easily, resists nailing.

COMMON USES: s.h.i.+p building, cabinet work, railway ties, cooperage.

REMARKS: Good for prairie planting. One of the most valuable woods of North America. Not distinguished from White Oak in commerce.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Radial Section, life size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tangential Section, life size.]

45

WHITE OAK (Western).

_Quercus garryana_ Douglas.

_Quercus_, the cla.s.sical Latin name; _garryana_, named for Garry.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Habitat.]

HABITAT: (See map); best in western Was.h.i.+ngton and Oregon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Leaf.]

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TREE: Height, 60'-70', even 100'; diameter, 2'-3'; branches, spreading; bark, light brown, shallow fissures, broad ridges; leaves, coa.r.s.ely pinnatified, lobed; fruit, large acorns.

APPEARANCE OF WOOD: Color, light brown, sap-wood whitish; ring-porous; rings, marked by 1 to 3 rows of open ducts; grain, close, crooked; rays, varying greatly in width, often conspicuous.

PHYSICAL QUALITIES: Heavy (10th in this list); 46 lbs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 0.7449; strong (28th in this list); elasticity medium (54th in this list); hard (8th in this list); shrinkage, 5 or 6 per cent.; warps, unless carefully seasoned; durable; hard to work, very tough; splits badly in nailing.

COMMON USES: s.h.i.+p building, vehicles, furniture, interior finish.

REMARKS: Best of Pacific oaks. Shrubby at high elevations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Radial Section, life size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cross-section, magnified 37-1/2 diameters.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tangential Section, life size.]

46

POST OAK.

_Quercus stellata_ w.a.n.genheim. _Quercus minor_ (Marsh) Sargent.

_Quercus obtusiloba_ Michaux.

_Quercus_, the cla.s.sical Latin name; _stellata_, refers to the stellate hairs on upper side of leaf; _minor_, refers to size of tree, which is often shrubby; _obtusiloba_, refers to the blunt lobes of leaves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Habitat.]

HABITAT: (See map); best in Mississippi basin.