102 FLOWERS OF THE WOODS AND COPSES 
from Quercus. Dodona was noted for its oak grove. The Oak was 
held to be of lightning origin, and sacred to Thor. 
The Jew was said to be only able to settle where two oaks grew in 
the form of across. In many parts fairyland gathers around the Oak, 
and fairy dances were said to take place round its roots. Some were 
called Devil’s Oaks. If seen in dreams it was a sign of long life, while 
to dream of an acorn foretold sickness. A man who abandons a good 
enterprise for a bad one was said ‘to cut down an oak and plant a 
thistle”. Several proverbs relate to the Oak, e.g.: ‘The willow will 
buy a horse before the oak will pay for a saddle.” ‘* The smallest axe 
may fell the largest oak.” ‘ Little strokes fell great oaks.” 
At Roman weddings oak boughs were symbols of fecundity. In 
order to commemorate the restoration of Charles II, oak leaves and 
gilded oak-apples were worn. 
The Oak was said to have formed (like many other trees) the wood 
of which the Cross of Calvary was made, and a legend says when the 
Jews were in search of wood every tree split itself except the Oak. 
Oak trees planted at crossways were supposed to cure ague, and to 
cure gout if taken hold of with the repeating of a formula. Oak leaves 
formed the civic crown, which was the highest honour, and accorded to 
Julius Cesar. 
Acorns were formerly dried, roasted, and used for making bread. 
The bark is one of the most important of tanning materials. Oak 
sawdust was used to dye fustian, and to make colours of drab and 
brown. The oak-apples are used in dyeing and for ink. Oak bark 
after it has been used for tanning is used for dressing the soil. 
Formerly acorns were in great request for feeding swine, oak forests 
being described as of so many hogs. 
ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS :-— 
282. Quercus Robur, ..—Tree, with stout horizontal or ascending 
branches, leaves obovate, sinuate, lobed, male flowers in loose pendent 
catkins, female solitary, below, fruit an acorn. 
Beech (Fagus sylvatica, L.) 
Though doubts have been expressed as to the antiquity of the 
Beech as a British tree there can be no reason for suspicion as to its 
being native here, for it is found in Preglacial beds at Happisburgh, 
Norfolk, and in Neolithic deposits. It is found in the N. Temperate 
Zone over an area covered by a triangle formed by Norway, Asia 
Minor, and Spain. In Great Britain it is found in the Peninsula, 
