650 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



fruit ; ovary inferior, surmounted by a rudimentary calyx (^fig. 

 1019) ; 3 {fig. 1020) or more celled; ovules 2 {fig. 1020) in 

 each cell, or solitary, pendulous or peltate ; stigmas almost 

 sessile. Fruit a glans or nut {figs. 377 and 378). Seeds 1 or 2, 

 without albumen. 



Distribution, Sfc. — They abound in the forests of temperate 

 regions. A few occur in the high lands of tropical and hot 

 climates. Examples : — Carpinus, Corylus, Fagus, Castanea, 

 Quercus, Synredrys. There are 10 genera, and about 280 

 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Most important from their valuable 

 timber. Many yield edible seeds, and some have highly 

 astringent barks and cupules. 



Carpin7is Betuluft, the Horn-beam, and C. americanus, are well known for 

 their timber, which is principally employed for making agricultural imple- 

 ments, and for the cogs of mill wheels. 



Ostrya virginica possesses a very hard wood, which in America has been 

 called in consequence Iron-wood. 



Fagui — F. sylvalica, the Common Beech, is well known for its timber. 

 The truits (Beech-mast) form a food for pigs. The fruit of F.ferrnginea is 

 eaten in North America. The seeds of some species yield by expression a 

 fixpd oil. 



Castanea. — C. vulgaris or vesca is the Spanish Chestnut, which is much 

 cultivated for its timber, and fi>r its nuts which are well known for their edible 

 properties. They are principally imported from Spain, where they are 

 largely employed ;is an article of food by the agricultural classes. C. ameri- 

 cima, a natlveof the United States, also yield? a much smaller, but very sweet 

 kind of Chestnut, which has been occasionally imported. 



Corylus Avellarta. the common Hazel, is the origin of the most anciently 

 used and most extensively consumed of all our edible nuts. There are seve- 

 ral varieties of the Hazel, as the White, Red, and Jerusalem Filberts, the 

 Great, and Clustered Cubs, the Red Smyrna, the Black Spanish, and the Bar- 

 celona nuts,&c. The importation alone into this country is, on an average, 

 150,000 bushels a year. The oil which is obtained from them by expression 

 is occasionally employed by artists and watchmakers. Good cliarcoal is also 

 obtained from the br;<nches of the Hazel. 



Quercus.— The timber of several species of this genus is extensively em- 

 ployed for ship-bu'lding, and for other important purposes, as that of the Q. 

 Robur, the common British Oak, of which there are two varieties, which by 

 some are regardi'(lasdistin(;t species, called Q. pcfiuncata.^nd Q. sessijiora ; the 

 Q. Cervix, or Turkey or Adriatic Oak; the Q. a/ha, or White Oak; tlie Q. rubra. 

 Red Oak : the Bla^'k Oak (Q. tinrtoria); and the Live Oak (Q. virens),&c. 

 The bark of several species is astringent, and largely employed in tanning, &c. 

 That of Quercus pedunculatn is most esteemed, "it is also employed in me- 

 dicine as an astringent and tonic. The outer bark of Quercus Suher, the 

 Cork Oak, constitutes the cork of commerce. The bark obtained from the 

 younger branches of the same tree is imported info this country from Spain. 

 It is usually known as Kuronean Alcornoque Bark, and is employed for tan- 

 ning purposes. (See Bowdicfiia, p. h29.) The inner bark of ;'older stems is 

 also imported as cork-tree bark, and si nilarly emjjloyed. Quercus A-lgylops. — 

 The acorn-cups of this species are imported from the I>cvant under the name 

 of I'nlonia. The dried half-matured acorns of the same plant are also imported 

 under tlie name of Camaia, and the very young ones as Camtilina. These three 

 articles are very valuable for their tanning properties. Quejxus tincloria, or 

 the Black Oak, has already been noticed as a valuable timher tree. Its bark is 

 called Quercitron Bark, and is used for tanning, and in this country, its intier 

 portion is also extensively emploved for dyeing yellow. The bark of this species 

 :md that of (luercus alba is employed in the United States (or its astringent, 

 febrifugal, and tonic i>roperiies. Quercus cocci/era, the Kermes Oak, has its 

 young .r.uiches attacki-d by a speci 's of Coccus, which forms little reddish balls 

 iipon their surface. These were formerly much used as a crimson dye. Oak trees 



