a wide-spreading, open head of striking grandeur,
the diameter at the base of which is sometimes two or three times the
height of the tree.

=Bark.=--Trunk and larger branches light ash-gray, sometimes nearly
white, broken into long, thin, loose, irregular, soft-looking flakes; in
old trees with broad, flat ridges; inner bark light; branchlets
ash-gray, mottled; young shoots grayish-green, roughened with minute
rounded, raised dots.

=Winter Buds and Leaves.=--Buds 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, round-ovate,
reddish-brown. Leaves simple, alternate, 3-7 inches long, 2-4 inches
wide, delicately reddish-tinted and pubescent upon both sides when
young; at maturity glabrous, light dull or glossy green above, paler and
somewhat glaucous beneath, turning to various reds in autumn; outline
obovate to oval; lobes 5-9; ascending, varying greatly in different
trees; when few, short and wide-based, with comparatively shallow
sinuses; when more in number, ovate-oblong, with deeper sinuses, or
somewhat linear-oblong, with sinuses reaching nearly to midrib; apex of
lobe rounded; base of leaf tapering; leafstalks short; stipules linear,
soon falling. The leaves of this species are often persistent till
spring, especially in young trees.

=Inflorescence.=--May. Appearing when the leaves are half grown; sterile
catkins 2-3 inches long, with slender, usually pubescent thread; calyx
yellow, pubescent; lobes 5-9, pointed: pistillate flowers sessile or
short-peduncled, reddish, ovate-scaled.

=Fruit.=--Maturing in the autumn of the first year, single, or more
frequently in pairs, sessile or peduncled: cup hemispherical to deep
saucer-shaped, rather thin; scales rough-knobby at base: acorn varying
from 1/2 inch to an inch in length, oblong-ovoid: meat sweet and edible,
said to be when boiled a good substitute for chestnuts.

=Horticultural Value.=--Hardy in New England; grows well in all except
very wet soils, in all open exposures and in light shade; like all oaks,
difficult to transplant unless prepared by frequent transplanting in
nurseries, from which it is not readily obtainable in quantity; grows
very slowly and nearly uniformly up to maturity; comparatively free
from insect enemies but occasionally disfigured by fungous disease which
attacks immature leaves in spring. Propagated from seed.

[Illustration: PLATE XXXVII.--Quercus alba.]

1. Winter buds.
2. Flowering branch.
3-4. Sterile flower, front view.
5. Fertile flower, si