Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-28
j. p. STEELE, EDITOR.

the long leaf pine belt east of the Missis-
sippi river, and, we suppose, in the pine
country of Eastern Texas, two species of
evergreen oaks commonly known to the
people as "water oak the masses not
distinguishing the species a art, and
hence calling both by the same popular
name. One is correctly the southern
water oak (Quercus acquatica) while the
other, which much resembles il in gen.
eral habit, and in size of growth, Is the
swamp laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia)
Many intelligent persons who ought TO
know better call it willow oak, for the
reason that there is a willow oak (Quercus
maritimG)-a mere shrub peculiar to the
southern coast couutry-that very much
resembles it in point of foliage. The
true willow oak (Quercus phel!os), is
strictly decidious tree, while the swamp
laurel oak is perfectly evergreen up to
about 81 deg. north latitude. 1t attains
TO the size of large tree. The word
"swamp' affixed to the common name
is a misnomer, as the tree never grows
in swamps. 1t is usually found along
the borders of lowlands in the pine coun-
try, on account OF better soil existing In
such localities, but 1t readily adapts
itself to any situation; indeed, we be-
lieve it likes the highlands best, where it
can have a fair quality of soil. About
the same may be said of the water oak,
water, in this case being also a
misnomer.
Both of these species are extensively
employed as shade trees in all the regions
within their natural range east of the
Mississippi river. They are the leading
trees in that line-hosts of Northern
tourists go home and tell of the grand
old liveoaks shading our towns, when
really they had not seen liveoaks at all.
they were simply oaks of the species
under consideration.
These oaks grow as rapidly as the
China tree, and make spreading
thick and most beautiful top. They
have no tap root. therefore they trans
plant from the forest while young with
the greatest of ease. People simply
grub them up and they grow. OF the
two species the laurel oak is rather to be
preferred on account of more delicacy of
foliage, though each has a foliage for
more dense than that Of the liveoak. The
leaves of the laurel oak somewhat re-
semble those of a willow, though a little
broader, while the leaves of the water
oak are more inclined to wedge-shape.
Both are rich, glossy green.
to perfection in Fort Worth we have not
the slightest doubt, our faith being based
upon the fact that they exhibit their very
greatest perfection on the same geolog-
lcal formation we have here (the creta-
cious) in both Mississippi and Alabama,
at points considerably above US in both
latitude and isothermal. They are trees
capable of enduring more drouth than any
other oaks known to us, unless it should
be our live oak and we regard them
equally as hardy, in that respect, as the
live oak.
Planted here, especially along our de-
pressiors where the rock is little down
| from the surface, these trees would soon
| be making a grand display. At from
thirty to thirty-fi five years of age they
would measure three feet In diameter at
| the base-we know of many trees in Ala
| bama no older that are measuring fully
that much.
On some of our situations where there
| is not soil enough above the bed-rocks to
| sustain large trees, evergreeens of
| smaller growth might be chosen. In
! subsequent article we shall point out
| some of these we know of that would
succeed here, aud might be easily OBJ
| tanned. We cannot we'll do it to-day
without too great an Infringement upon
our usual variety.
In planting out only their own native
trees the people of Northern Texas are
| evidently making another mistake.
Shade trees should be of a growth sufi-
GENTLY tall to bring them we'll above the
houses. Our climate through long
succession of ages has dwarfed our trees
and caused them to grow more or
less scraggiing. Trees brought from
further east would not exhibit this pecu-
liarity, they weuld grow precisely as
they grew in the forests whence We OBJ
tanned them. The dwarfed condition of
our trees is not the result of single
generation, but of thousands of genera
tions-no doubt about that.