#Quercus stellata.#--Post oak is relatively scarce on the Reservation. One area of approximately an acre on a south slope is dominated by it. There are several other small groves and scattered trees. All are on moderately steep south slopes in poor soil. Trees often found associated with it include red elm, chestnut oak, chinquapin oak, blackjack oak, hickory, and dogwood. It seems likely that under original conditions this species occupied about the same area as it does at present. It is not spreading, and there are few young trees anywhere on the area. In every instance the groves are limited to a rocky clay soil, and edaphic factors obviously are of major importance. Under original conditions fire was probably a limiting factor, and at the present time competition with other hardwoods may be even more important. #Quercus macrocarpa.#--Less than a dozen individuals of mossycup oak have been noticed on the area, at well scattered points. Under original conditions, it probably grew chiefly in the bottomlands that have been completely cleared of timber for cultivation. The few now present are all on hillsides, and are medium to large trees. #Quercus Muehlenbergii.#--Chestnut oak was perhaps the one most important tree species of the original climax forest on the area. Because of its slow growth, scanty seed production, and large heavy fruits with seeds lacking effective dispersal mechanisms, it has lost ground to other kinds of trees as a result of the unnatural disturbances which have occurred. It still dominates on rocky upper slopes that have north, east or west exposures and forms nearly pure stands in limited areas. Nearly all the larger trees of this species now present have been cut one or more times and have regenerated from stump sprouts. Seedlings and young saplings of this oak are scarce even in parts of the woodland where the species is most common. It is evident that reproduction is slow, at least under present conditions. On the lower hill slopes these oaks are scarce and scattered, but some of the largest are in such situations. Chestnut oak seems to be relatively resistant to drought. In the summer of 1954 when elms, and especially black oaks of all sizes were dying in large numbers, the chestnut oaks growing among them showed little evidence of injury in mature trees and only a small percentage of mortality in saplings. [Illustration: Fig. 5. Map of Reservation showing present distribution of chestnut oak (shaded). The species is not spreading and is thought to be largely confined to the area that was wooded before 1860. Except in minor details, shagbark hickory conforms to the same distribution pattern on this area.]