Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-07-29
WHAT IS WHITE oAK7

know something about oak to be lOld
that the socalied white oak timber
Il ''ur markets is often mixture not
'nIy of various species of the white
iak grup but also OF other species,
such as the red oak. This generally
unknown fact is reported by the L.
5. Department Of Agriculture, which
as a part Of its forestry work, is fire.
4uently called upon to pass judgment
dpOn the idenily of market woods in
dispute.
FUresters divide all the oaks into
two distinct groups-the white oak
group and the black oak group. One
~ay of distinguishing the two is by
tls fact that the black oaks require
two years to mature their acorns,
while the white oaks take but one
the woods ut the two groups Of oakf
IRE also structurally different. The
rue white oak, known to botanists
Is Qnercus aba. is mei ely one Of Il e
,pecIes which make up the white
,ak group. Red oak, on the other
aand, belongs to the black oak groul
Red oak has a number of other com
non names, among them mounfah
,ak, black oak, and Spanish OAK.
There is 40 much confusion in IL,
irdinary use Of namts Of the uaks
hat it is almost impossible to keel
fhem straight without Tesorting I,
the scientific names, but the market
ing Of wood Of the black oak group
- white oak is hPrdly fair 10 the COL
sumner. Red oak, fer instance, il
now much more abundant thar
White oak, grows faster, and Is geneI
lily regarded as II frrior. The twt
'peoies often grow together and uccu
Dy the same general region.
In the early days of its abundance,
market white oak was derived al
nos, entirely, it is safe to say, iron
| Quercus aba, the true white oak
This species combines approximately
the utmost strength and toghuness I'll
Iny of the timber oaks, excepting
possibly the southern live oak, which
in the colonial days was so highly
Jrized for shipbuilding thut it was
protected by special laws. The i'm
;nense inrosds made upon the then
apparently inexhaustible white OAK
forests. which stretched from the AT.
antio seabOard to about Missouri,
gradually so reduced the supply that
fhe use of other species beaame inevi'
table;
Al the present time it is almost i'm
possible to obtain a consignment OF
white oak that does not contain
Jieces of some other species. OF tn,
white oak group thoss most used, il
addition to the true white oak, arr
our oak, chestnut oak, chinquapir
oak, post oak. swamp white oak
COW oak and overcup oak of tn
black oak group. Texas red oak, rec
oak, and spotted or water oak.
Real white oak timber of numbe
me quality is very largely cut int
quarter sawed boards while a com
bination of one or more white oak
tnd red oak may constitute othe
cuts of "white oak" In many maj
, kets the term ''cabinet white oak
is now understood to include a NIX
ture Of white oak and red oak, Will
1t often signifies red oak only,
Il The question "What is whit
oak?' is now coming up among cor
sumers and manufacturer of c, mme
cial oak timber. The above-name
4 white oaks ere distinct but closel
related species, which together mu:
be depended upon for our futuI
supply. For the ordinary purpose
for which true white oak is useC
practically all the trees of this grou
yield woods that can be interchange
h and will serve equally we'll.
/. In our office floor white oak an
, red oak were laid side by side an
those who think themselves expei
Q in lumber can test their judgmeI
by an inspection.