The burr oak attains immense size in Indiana and some other
Northern States. A gentleman living in Marion County, Indiana,
told the writer: "The bun-oaks in this neighborhood attain the
diameter of six feet, and with a stem, in one instance, of sixty
feet high without a limb." The following description of the burr
oak is given by Dr. P. P. Hoy, of Pacine, an accomplished
naturalist, and member of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural
Sciences: " This is, perhaps, the most ornamental of our oaks.
Nothing can exceed the graceful beauty of these trees when not
crowded or cramped in their growth, but left free to follow the
laws of their development. Who has not admired these trees in
our extensive burr-oak openings? Its large leaves are a dark
green above and a bright silvery white beneath, which gives the
tree a singularly fine appearance when agitated by the wind. The
wood is tough, close-grained, and more durable than the white
oak, especially when exposed to frequent changes of moisture and
dryness. Did the tr