260 SYL.VA AMERICANA. 



species the vessels which occupy the intervals of the concentric 

 circles are visibly less replete. But of all the American oaks, 

 this is the best and the most generally used, being strong, durable, 

 and of large dimensions. It is less employed than formerly in 

 building, only because it is scarcer and more costly. The 

 excellent properties of this wood cause it to be preferred for a 

 great variety of uses, among which are many articles manufactured 

 by the wheelwrights. White oak perfectly seasoned is employed 

 for the frames of coaches, waggons and sledges, for the mould 

 boards of ploughs, the felloes, spokes and naves of wheels. 

 The wood of the young stocks is very elastic and is susceptible 

 of minute division, hence it is preferred for large baskets used in 

 harvesting, for the hoops of seives, the bottoms of riddles and 

 the handles of coach whips ; for pail handles and axe helves. 

 In many parts of the Middle States, the white oak is selected for 

 the posts of rural fence. The bark is considered by many 

 tanners as the best for preparing leather for saddles and other 

 similar objects ; it is little employed however, because the bark 

 of the trunk and large limbs only is employed, and on these the 

 cellular integument is much thinner in the white, than in the red 

 and black oaks. The white oak furnishes staves of the best 

 quality, of which are made casks for wine and spirituous liquors. 

 The domestic consumption for this purpose is immense, and vast 

 quantities are exported to the West Indies, Great Britain, and 

 the islands of Madeira and Teneriffe. The young stocks are 

 very elastic and are used for hoops. Among the uses of this 

 wood, the most important is in ship building. In all the dock 

 yards of the Northern and Middle States, except Maine, it is 

 almost exclusively employed for the keel and always for the 

 lower part of the frame and the sides : it is preferred for the 

 knees when sticks of a proper form can be found. In the 

 smaller ports south of New York, the upper part of the frame is 

 also made of white oak ; but such vessels are less esteemed than 

 these constructed of more durable wood. The medicinal proper- 

 ties of oak bark depend on its astringency, and that again on its 

 tannin. The inner bark of the small branches is the strongest, 

 the middle bark next, and the outer bark is almost useless. 



