Part 7

This species is easily propagated by seed or seedlings. It is recommended for forest planting in all parts of its natural range and other parts of the State where the soil is very sandy and free from limestone. This species never attains to an old age when growing close to the limestone. It grows rapidly and requires little pruning. The only objection to planting it for forestry purposes is that it might be infested by the chestnut bark disease which is fatal to this tree. This disease is far to the east of us, and there are wide barriers to its western migration. Since a chestnut grove would soon grow into post and pole size, in the event the grove would be killed by the bark disease, the crop could be harvested and the loss would be more of the nature of a disappointment than a financial one. If planted in a cleared area the seedlings should be spaced about 5 × 5 feet if no cultivation can be done. If the trees can be cultivated, plant 7 × 7 or 8 × 8 feet and grow corn for one or two years between the rows.

=3. QUÉRCUS.= The Oaks.

The leaves of Indiana oaks are deciduous; flowers appear in April or May, very small, the staminate on slender pendulous catkins, the pistillate solitary or in clusters in scaly bud-like cups; fruit an acorn which takes one or two years to mature, ripening in September or October. The species that mature their fruit the first year are popularly and commercially classed as "white oaks." Those that mature their fruit the second year are classed as "red, black or bristle-tipped oaks."

The oaks are the largest genus of Indiana trees, and commercially are the most important of all trees of the State. They are the longest lived of all the trees that occur in the State, and while they have numerous insect enemies none of them prove fatal to it, except a certain gall insect.

Note:--In collecting leaf specimens of oaks for identification it should be borne in mind that the foliage is quite variable. The leaves of seedlings, coppice shoots and of vigorous shoots of old trees sometimes vary considerably in size, form and leaf-margins. Also leaves of old trees that grow in the shade usually have the margins more nearly entire than the typical leaves. For example leaves may be found on the lower and interior branches of a pin oak which are not lobed to beyond the middle, which throws them into the red oak group.

Bark gray, (except in No. 5) more or less scaly; mature leaves never with bristle tips; fruit maturing the first year.

Mature leaves smooth beneath. 1 Q. alba.

Mature leaves pubescent beneath.

Primary veins beneath show regular pinnate venation.

Some of the primary veins beneath end in a sinus. 2 Q. bicolor.

All primary veins beneath end in teeth of the margin.

Tips of leaves of fruiting branches sharp-pointed, usually forming an acute angle; fruit sessile or nearly so. 3 Q. Muhlenbergii.

Tips of leaves of fruiting branches rounded or if sharp-pointed, it rarely forms an acute angle; fruit peduncled.

Petioles green and woolly pubescent beneath (rarely almost glabrous); under surface of leaves velvety to the touch; bark gray, scaly, of the white oak type; trees of low ground. 4 Q. Michauxii.

Petioles yellowish and smooth beneath, or rarely somewhat pubescent; under surface of leaves not velvety to the touch; bark dark, and tight, of the red oak type; trees of high ground (in Indiana confined to the "knobstone" area). 5 Q. Prinus.

Primary veins beneath show irregular venation.

Last year's growth pubescent; acorns generally less than 12 mm. in diameter. 6 Q. stellata.

Last year's growth glabrous or nearly so; acorns more than 12 mm. in diameter.

Leaves sinuate dentate, sometimes lobed near the base, velvety to the touch beneath; peduncles of fruit longer than the petioles. 2 Q. bicolor.

Leaves irregularly lobed, harsh or rarely velvety or smooth to the touch beneath; peduncles of fruit shorter than the petioles.

Cup of fruit fringed; apex of lobes of leaves generally rounded; trees of lowland. 7 Q. macrocarpa.

Cup of fruit not fringed; apex of lobes of leaves generally acute; trees of swamps in the extreme southwestern counties of Indiana. 8 Q. lyrata.

Bark dark, tight and furrowed; leaves with bristle tips; fruit maturing the second year.

Leaves entire 9 Q. imbricaria.

Leaves more or less deeply lobed, the lobes and teeth conspicuously bristle pointed.

Mature leaves smooth beneath, except tufts of hairs in the axils.

Leaves lobed to about the middle, the lateral lobes broadest at the base; cup saucer-shaped; nut about 1.5-2 cm. in diameter; terminal buds reddish. 10 Q. rubra.

Leaves lobed to beyond the middle, frequently those grown in dense shade not so deeply lobed, some or all of the lateral lobes broadest toward the apex.

Cup saucer-shaped, rarely enclosing the nut for more than 1/3 its length; trees of the low lands and swamps.

Leaves glossy above; blades usually 10-12 cm. long; cups usually 1.5 cm. or less broad; terminal buds chestnut brown. 11 Q. palustris.

Leaves dull above, usually about 15 cm. long; cups 1.5-2.5 cm. broad, rarely as narrow as 1.5 cm.; terminal buds grayish brown. 12 Q. Schneckii.

Cup hemispheric, generally enclosing the nut for half its length; trees of the uplands.

Inner bark yellowish or orange; kernel of nut yellowish or orange, and very bitter.

Terminal buds usually 5 mm. or less in length, ovoid and generally blunt, reddish-brown; scales of cup closely appressed; trees local in the extreme northwest part of the State. 13 Q. ellipsoidalis.

Terminal buds usually longer than 6 mm., usually angled and sharp-pointed; scales of cup not closely appressed; trees of all parts of the State 14 Q. velutina.

Inner bark reddish or gray; kernel white and not very bitter 15 Q. coccinea.

Mature leaves more or less pubescent on the whole under surface.

Leaves grayish or yellowish pubescent beneath; scales of cup with a reddish-brown border; nut enclosed for about 1/3 its length 16 Q. falcata.

Leaves brownish or rusty pubescent beneath, sometimes appearing grayish; scales of cup without a dark border; nut enclosed for about half of its length.

Leaves expanded at the apex, and generally with three lobes; mature twigs generally scurvy-pubescent 17 Q. marilandica.

Leaves deeply lobed; mature twigs generally glabrous. 14 Q. velutina.

=1.= =Quercus álba= Linnæus. White Oak. Plate 40. Large trees with gray, fissured bark, flaky on the branches, on the upper part of the trunks of some trees the bark loosens at the fissures and peels back, forming flat strips which remain attached at one side; twigs at first hairy, becoming smooth; leaves mostly obovate in outline, generally 8-20 cm. long on petioles 0.5-2 cm. long, more or less deeply lobed into 5-9 lobes, the lobes ascending and generally blunt and entire, sometimes the lobes have one or two secondary lobes, leaves narrowed and oblique at the base, smooth above, smooth and glaucous beneath; acorns sessile or on stalks up to 2 cm. long; nuts quite variable on different trees as to size and shape, ovoid or oblong, 18-30 mm. long; cup flat on the bottom, tuberculate and encloses about 1/4 of the nut; scales blunt and woolly.

=Distribution.=--Maine, southern Ontario, Minnesota south to Florida and Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana. In point of number it is exceeded only by the beech, although it has a more general distribution. It is adapted to many types of soil, and is found in almost all situations in Indiana except in very wet soils. It is sparingly found in the sand dune area. On the clay soils of the northern part of the State it is a frequent to an abundant tree, and in the southern part of the State it often forms complete stands on the slopes of the hills.

The white oak is one of the largest and possibly the longest lived tree of Indiana. While it is able to adapt itself to many situations, it grows to the largest size in a porous, moist and rich soil.

=Remarks.=--Wood heavy, hard, close-grained, tough, strong and durable. On account of its abundance, and wide range of uses, it has always been the most important timber tree of Indiana.

Formerly the woods were full of white oak 1-1.5 meters (3-5 ft.) in diameter, but today trees of a meter (3 ft.) in diameter with long straight trunks are rare indeed. Michaux who traveled extensively in America 1801-1807, while the whole Mississippi Valley was yet a wilderness, remarks: "The white oak is the most valuable tree in America." He observed the ruthless destruction of this valuable tree, and predicted that the supply would soon be depleted, and that America would be sorry that regulations were not adopted to conserve the supply of this valuable tree. Michaux's prediction has come true, and yet no constructive measures have been provided to insure the Nation an adequate supply of this timber. It should be remembered that it requires two to three hundred years to grow a white oak a meter in diameter, and if we are to have white oak of that size in the next generation the largest of our present stand must be spared for that harvest.

White oak was formerly much used in construction work, but it has become so costly that cheaper woods take its place. At present it is used principally in cooperage, interior finish, wagon and car stock, furniture, agricultural implements, crossties, and veneer. Indiana has the reputation of furnishing the best grade of white oak in the world.

Little attention has been given this valuable species either in horticultural or forestal planting. This no doubt is due in a great measure to the slow growth of the tree. It should be used more for shade tree, ornamental and roadside tree planting. There are good reasons why white oak should be much used in reforestation. The cheapest and most successful method of propagating white oak is to plant the seed in the places where the trees are desired to grow. This is best done by planting the acorns as soon as they fall or are mature. The best results will be obtained if the nuts are planted with the small end down, and covered about an inch deep with earth. If the ground is a hard clay soil and the small end of the nut is placed down a half inch of earth on the nut is sufficient. Rodents often destroy the nuts, and if this danger is apprehended it is best to poison the rodents or to stratify the seed, or grow seedlings and plant them when they are one year old. In forestal planting it is suggested that the planting be 4 × 4 feet.

The white oak is quite variable in the lobing of the leaves, and in size and shape of the fruit, and in the length of its peduncle. The variable lobing of the leaves has lead several authors to describe varieties based on this character. The latest is that of Sargent[32] who describes: "The trees with leaves less deeply divided, with broad rounded lobes and usually smaller generally sessile fruit," as =Quercus alba= variety =latiloba=.

=Quercus alba × Muhlenbérgii= (× _Quercus Deami_ Trelease). This rare hybrid was discovered in a woods about 3 miles northwest of Bluffton Indiana by L. A. Williamson and his son E. B. Williamson in 1904.[33]

The tree is still standing and in 1918 bore a heavy crop of seed. A liberal quantity was sent for propagation to the Arnold Arboretum, New York Botanical Gardens, and Missouri Botanical Gardens. The Arboretum succeeded in germinating several seed. The New York Gardens succeeded in getting 5 seedlings. The Missouri Gardens failed to get any to germinate. About a gallon of seeds was planted in the Clark County State forest nursery and all failed.

=2.= =Quercus bícolor Willdenow.= Swamp White Oak. Plate 41. Large trees; leaves on petioles 5-20 mm. long, 8-18 cm. long, obovate, wedge-shaped or narrowly rounded at base, rounded or pointed at the apex, margins coarsely divided with rounded or blunt teeth or somewhat pinnatifid, primary venation beneath somewhat regular, but usually some of the veins end in a sinus of the margin, both surfaces hairy at first, becoming smooth above and remaining velvety pubescent beneath; the upper surface of the leaf a bronze or dark green and the under surface grayish due to the dense tomentum, which in some instances becomes sparse and short, in which case the under surface is a light green; acorns usually in pairs on stalks 2-7 cm. long; nuts ovoid, 2-2.5 cm. long, enclosed for 1/3-1/2 their length in the cup; scales of cup acute to very long acuminate, scurvy pubescent and frequently tuberculate; kernel sweetish.

=Distribution.=--Maine, southern Ontario, southern Minnesota south to Georgia and Arkansas. Found in all parts of Indiana. It is always found in wet places. In most of its range it is associated with the bur oak from which it is not commonly separated. In the northern counties it is usually associated with pin and bur oak, and white elm; in the flats of the southeastern part of the State it is usually associated with cow oak and sweet gum, while in the southwestern counties it is found most commonly with Spanish and pin oak.

=Remarks.=--Commercially the wood is not distinguished from white oak, and the cut is sold for that species.

=3.= =Quercus Muhlenbérgii= Engelmann. Chinquapin Oak. Sweet Oak. Yellow Oak. Chestnut Oak. Plate 42. Large trees; leaves on petioles 1-3 cm. long, blades very variable in size, shape and leaf margins, generally 10-20 cm. long, oblong-lanceolate to broadly obovate, narrowed or rounded and more or less unequal at the base, taper-pointed at the apex, the apex always forming an acute angle, margins coarsely and rather regularly toothed, primary veins beneath regular and straight, and end in a prominent gland in the point of the teeth, teeth more or less incurved, leaves smooth and dark green above, and grayish pubescent beneath; acorns generally sessile, but often on short stalks up to 1 cm. long; nut ovoid to oblong ovoid, 10-18 mm. long, enclosed for 1/4-1/2 its length in a very thin cup; scales of cup ovate, blunt-pointed or merely acute, sometimes tuberculate near the base of the cup, grayish pubescent without; kernel sweet, and the most edible of all of our oaks.

=Distribution.=--Vermont, southwestern Ontario to Wisconsin and south to Florida and west to Texas. Found in limited numbers in all parts of Indiana, although Hill's record for Lake county is the only record in the block of the 12 northwest counties. It is without a doubt found in every county south of the Wabash River. It is a rare or an infrequent tree in practically all parts of its range. It is generally found on the dry banks of streams, river terrace banks, rocky bluffs of streams, and only rarely in level dry woods. In the southern counties it is sometimes found on clay or rocky ridges. In most of its range it is now so rare that most of the inhabitants do not know the tree.

=Remarks.=--Wood similar to white oak, and with the same uses.

In White County a pioneer was found who knew the tree only by the name of pigeon oak. He said it received this name from the fact that the wild pigeons were fond of the acorns.

The leaves of this tree vary greatly in size, shape, and leaf margins. The fruit also varies on different trees in the shape of the nut, and the depth of the cup. These variations have lead some authors to separate the forms and one histological study[34] seems to support minor differences. It has been observed that the leaves in the top of some trees may be thick, narrow and with long incurved teeth, while the leaves of the lower branches will be strongly obovate, thinner, and the teeth more dentate. In a general study it is best to include the polymorphic forms under one name. The distribution of the shallow and deep cup forms is so general that no regional or habitat areas can be assigned to either of them in Indiana.

=4.= =Quercus Michaúxii= Nuttall (_Quercus Prinus_ Sargent). Cow Oak. Basket Oak. Plate 43. Large trees; leaves on petioles 1-3 cm. long, generally 1-2 dm. long, obovate, narrowed or narrowly rounded at the base, short taper-pointed, the apex generally blunt, the margins coarsely toothed, the teeth broad and rounded or more rarely acute, shaded leaves sometimes with margins merely undulate, hairy on both surfaces when young, becoming at maturity a dark yellow green and glabrous above, sometimes remaining somewhat pubescent along the midrib and the principal veins, leaves grayish and woolly pubescent beneath; acorns solitary or in pairs, sessile or on very short stalks, up to almost a cm. in length; nuts ovoid or oval with a broad base, enclosed for about 1/3 their length by the cup, the cups thick and generally 2-3 cm. broad; scales ovate, acute, rather blunt-pointed and more or less tuberculate near the base of the cup, tomentose on the back; kernel sweet.

=Distribution.=--Delaware, southern Indiana, Missouri, south to Florida and west to Texas. In Indiana it is believed that its distribution is pretty well known and well defined. It is an inhabitant of low wet woods, although large trees may be found in fairly dry woods which have been made dry by drainage. In discussing the distribution it must be remembered that this species was reported as _Quercus Prinus_ before the sixth edition of Gray's Manual which was published in 1890. Gorby's[35] reference to Miami County should be ignored, because he compiled his list of trees from a list of common names to which he appended the scientific names. His list includes several species which are not native, and his water willow (_Dianthera americana_) is an herbaceous plant. Wilson's[36] report for Hamilton County I believe also to be an error. Wilson preserved no specimen. Since Hamilton County has no cow oak habitat, and Wilson was not acquainted with the species, I think this reference should be transferred to the broad-leaf form of _Quercus Muhlenbergii_. The author has collected and distributed authentic specimens from a point 2-1/2 miles southwest of Napoleon in Ripley County. This species is reported by Meyncke for Franklin County as scarce, and by Collins for Dearborn County. Since the habitat of the species is found in these counties, it is fair to admit them into the range of the species. This species is a frequent to a very common tree in the flats of Clark, Scott, Jefferson, Jackson, Jennings, and Ripley Counties, where it is usually associated with beech and sweet gum. It is now known to range as far north as the northern parts of Jackson, Jennings and Ripley Counties. It is an infrequent tree of the Lower Wabash Valley as far north as southern Knox County and no doubt followed eastward along White River. It follows the Ohio River eastward at least to a point six miles east of Grandview in Spencer County. It no doubt was an occasional tree along the Ohio River up to Dearborn County. It has also been reported by Aiken for Hamilton County, Ohio. In the Lower Wabash Valley it is associated with Spanish and pin oak.

=Remarks.=--Wood and uses similar to white oak. In the flats of southeastern Indiana it is generally called white oak, and in some places it is known as bur oak. It grows very rapidly and to a large size. A tree was measured in 1919 in the Klein woods about 4 miles north of North Vernon that was 3.57 meters (11 feet, 7 inches) in circumference, breast high, and was estimated to be 15 m. (50 feet) to the first branch.

This species when grown in the open forms a large oval head, and in moist soil would make one of the best shade and roadside trees to be had. It is not known how it would adapt itself to high ground, but it is believed this species is worthy a trial as a shade tree. It is apparently hardy in the northern counties.

=Quercus Bèadlei= Trelease. (_Quercus alba × Michauxii_). This hybrid between the white and cow oak was found by the writer in 1913 in the White River bottoms 3 miles east of Medora in Jackson County.

The tree measured 3.54 meters (139 inches) in circumference breast high. Specimens were distributed under No. 19,037, and the determination was made by William Trelease, our leading authority on oaks.

=5.= =Quercus Prìnus= Linnæus. (_Quercus montana_ Willdenow of some recent authors). Chestnut Oak. Plate 44. Medium to large sized tree; bark dark, tight, deeply fissured, the furrows wide, and the ridges continuous; leaves on petioles 1-3 cm. long, 1-2 dm. long, obovate to lanceolate, those growing in the shade usually the widest, rounded at the base, usually narrowly so or even wedge-shaped, short or long taper-pointed at the apex, the apex blunt, margins coarsely and nearly regularly crenate-toothed, the teeth broad and rounded, dark green above at maturity, a lighter and usually a yellow or grayish green beneath, only slightly hairy above when young, soon becoming entirely glabrate, very pubescent beneath when young and usually remaining so until maturity; petioles, midrib and primary veins beneath are usually conspicuously yellow, which is a distinctive character of this species; acorns solitary or in pairs, on short stalks usually about 1 cm. long, sometimes sessile; nuts large ovoid or oblong-ovoid, 2-3 cm. long, enclosed generally for about 1/3 their length in a thin cup; scales with triangular blunt tips, generally somewhat tuberculate and pubescent on the back; kernel sweet.