A very interesting group of trees which come under this head are the chestnut oaks. At first glance one would take one of these trees to be a chestnut, but it bears acorns and must therefore be an oak. The sketch shows the two leaves side by side.
Fig. 88.
Chestnut Chestnut Oak
Let us examine them closely. Although they slightly resemble each other, by looking carefully we see that the teeth on the chestnut leaf are pointed, while those on the chestnut oak are decidedly rounded. There is also a difference in proportion, as the chestnut leaf is long and narrow, while that of the chestnut oak is broader.
There are several varieties of chestnut oak, but their leaves are quite similar and they all belong to the white-oak group and ripen their acorns in one season. They grow to a large size, one famous from Revolutionary times at Fishkill-on-the-Hudson measuring seven feet in diameter. The acorns are sweet and are eagerly sought after by the squirrels.
The wood is durable in exposed places and is used for cooperage, railroad ties, and fencing.
34. The Live Oak. No list of American oaks would be complete without the live oak. This is a southern tree and is remarkable in many ways. Its leaf has no indentations, remains green all winter, and is thick and leathery.
Fig. 89. Leaf of Live Oak