Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-02-05

Hudson and the shores of Lake Cham
plain to the distance of 400 miles from
New York. Both are significant facts :
the first, of a remarkable resemblance of
the bark to that of the Chestnut; and the
second, of the situations in which the tree
is exclusively found. For this reason,
and to avoid confounding with it with the
preceding [Chestnut White Oak and
following Rock Oak |, which also grow
in Virginia, have blended the two de-
nominations.
The beautiful appearance of this tree,
when growing in a fertile soil, is owing
equally to the symmetry of its form and
to the luXuriance of its foliage. The
leaves are five or six inches long, three or
four broad, oval and uniformly denticu-
lated, with the teeth more regular, but less
acute than those of the Chestnut White
Oak. When beginning to open in the
spring they are coveredwith a thick
down; but when fully expanded they are
perfectly smooth, whitish beneath, and of
Il delicate texture. The petiole is of a
yellow color, which becomes brighter
toward the fall.
The acorns are brown, of an oblong
oval shape, and sometimes an inch in
length, Il third part of which is contain
ed in spreading cup covered with loose
scales; they are sweet-tasted, and are a
favorite nourshment of wild and domes-
tic animals.
The Rock Chestnut Oak is sometimes
three feet in diameter and more than six
ty feet high; but, as its growth is usually
repressed by the poverty of the soil, it
rarely attains these dimensions. In open
elevated situations it spreads widely and
forms head like that of the apple-tree.
When the trunk exceeds foot in diam
eter it is covered witha thick, hard, deep
ly-furrowed bark. In New York. and
near the Alleghanies in Pennsylvania, this
species of bark is esteemed the best for
tanning. Only that of the secondary
branches and of stocks less than six
inches thick is employed. 1t is sold at
New York for so or SD Il cord. The
epidermis is strongly impregnated with
the tanning principle, which in other
species resides only in the cellular tissue.
The wood is reddish. like that of the
White Oak: but its pores are more open,
though its specific gravity is greater;
pieces of both species being thrown into
water, the White Oak remains on the sur
face, and the other at the bottom. Its
liquors. At New Y ork. and on the banks
of the Hudson. it holds the next place to
the White Oak in the construction of YES
sells. 1t is employed for the lower part
of the frame, and oftener for the knees
and the ribs. Pieces of White Oak suited
to these objects are procured with diff
Guilty; but the Rock Chestnut Oak, grow
ing up in a continual controversy with
the winds, is more frequently bent into
the proper shape. For fuel, it is next in
price to the Hickory. Ihave been told in
several FORCES, especially at the foot of
the North Mountain, POO miles from Phila-
uelpnla, tllat IL Is superior III tins respect
to every other species of its genus except
the Live Oak.
y tree like this, which grows in stony
soils, in abrupt uninhabitable exposures,
and whose bark and timber are so valu-
able, deserves the particular attention of
American and European foresters. They
should SOW the acorns in the crevices of
the rocks and wherever the soil is inca
pable of cultivation. Thousands of
young plants already exist in the vicinity
of Paris.