bercles, and surrounding almost entirely the acorn: peduncle sometimes very short. COUNTRY. South Carolina and Georgia, where the country is frequently deluged by the great rivers. OBSERVATIONS. Michaux always observed this oak in watery situations, or such as were exposed to inundations. Though, when he cultivated it in a dry soil, it has surpassed, by the rapidity of its growth, most of the other species, which were reared in the same nursery. 4. QUERCUS ALBA, (pinnatifida) Linnæus. Quercus foliis subæqualiter pinnatifidis; laciniis oblongis, obtusis, plerumque integerrimis. Fructu majusculo; cupula craterata, tuberculosascabrata; glande ovata. Tab. 5. f. 1. Michaux.* Wangenheim, p. 12. t. 3. f. 6. Catesby's Carolina, Willd. Sp. Pl. v. 4. 448. Spec. 62. Q. foliis oblongis pinnatifido-sinuatis subtus pubescentibus lobis lineari-lanceolatis, obtusis integerrimis, basi attenuatis, calycibus fructus pedunculatis, tuberculosis basi planis. W. Gaudet foliis profunde pinnatifido-sinuatis, laciniis æqualibus, subtus glaucis pubescentibus. W. rolina, &c. v. 1. p. 21. t. 21. f. 2. * Du Roi, Harb. 2. p. 270. t. 5. f. 5.I. A. Michaux velip.ptobs. ARBORETUM, HORTUS GLASNEVINENSIS, Chéne Blanc à feuilles pennatifides. White Oak. HEIGHT: about 60 feet. BARK whitish, detaching itself in longitudinal layers, as the tree becomes old. LEAVES almost uniformly winged, obtusely indented, often entire, smooth and glaucous green underneath. FRUCTIFICATION. Male flowers: from five to ten stamina, Female flowers: one or two on each peduncle. Cup almost hemispherical, and tuberculated; acorn oval, rather large; peduncle sometimes very short. COUNTRY. From Canada to Florida. OBSERVATIONS. Catesby long since observes, that this species of oak comes nearest to our common English oak, in the shape of its leaves, acorns, and manner of growth. The bark is white grain of the wood fine, for which, and its durability, it is esteemed the best oak in Virginia and Carolina. It grows on all kinds of land, but mostly on high, barren grounds, amongst high pine trees. There is another variety of white oak, which in Virginia is called the Scale's White Oak, with leaves like this: the bark is white and scaly; the wood of great use in building; grows on rich land, both high and low. Catesby, 1. c. Michaux jun. mentions it as growing in most parts of America, in various soils. OBSERVATIONS: We may compare this species to the European oak with long peduncles, and from which it differs but little, in the form of its leaves, the acorn, and even the quality of the timber. In America it is preferred to all others, for the building of ships and houses; in fact, it answers for all economical purposes. It affords excellent timber for making hogsheads, for holding spirituous liquors; whereas, those which are made of red, and many other species of oak, are only fit for dry merchandize; moreover, the elasticity of the fibres of the white oak is such, that baskets and brooms are made of it. Of all the American oaks, this is the species best known time immemorial. Parkinson tells us, that the Indians. boil the acorns, and get an oil from them, which they use in various ways, in preparing their food; in fact, it is very sweet. QUERCUS ALBA, (repanda), Tab. 5. f. 2. Michaux. * Chéne Blanc à feuilles sinuenses. This variety of white oak is frequently to be met with, in the forests of Carolina. Its leaves are *Willd. Sp. Pl. v. 4. 449. Q. alba, v. B. repanda, foliis levissime lobatis, utrinque viridibus, subtus pubescentibus brevissime sinuatis. W. |