THE CORK TREE. 553 
places where the calcareous soil generally drives them away, and where 
they abound whenever granites, Silurian slates, silico-argillaceous and 
sandy siliceous soils are encountered. According to Mr. H. Laure the 
cork tree only grows spontaneously, or in a wild state, in granitic or 
slaty formations. Experts in the province of Gerona affirm that the 
trees which yield the best cork are found on slaty lands. 
FRUCTIFICATION. 
The blossoms make their appearance in April or May, and the fruit 
ripens in the following months of September and January. Hence the 
different kinds of acorns, according to the time of ripening. Those 
which arrive at maturity in September, and sometimes about the begin- 
ning of October, are called “ Brevas,” “Primerizas de San Miguel” or 
“‘ Miguelenas ;” those which ripen in October and November are called 
“ Sequnderas” or “ Medianas de San Martin” or “ Martinenas”; and lastly, 
the acorns which do not ripen until December, or January, are known as 
“ Tardias,” or “* Palomeras.” 
The acorns of this species of oak are more bitter, and of an inferior 
quality to those of the Quercus ilex, and are not so good as food for 
swine. 
The trees begin to bear acorns within twelve or fifteen years, but 
until they reach thirty or forty the acorns are not fertile, nor is the yield 
abundant. It is said that the tree bears fertile seed when it yields cork 
sufficiently good to make bottle stoppers. Close growth or lack of light 
diminishes the yield of acorns, and also impairs the quality of the cork 
and bark, and lessens their quantity. 
The acorns, although not very delicate, lose their germinative faculty 
even when not on the trees, if exposed to a great degree of cold. 
Some varieties or sub-varieties of the cork oak produce very sweet 
acorns, as sweet or even sweeter than those of the Quercus tlex. It has 
also been observed that the trees which yield small oblong or round and 
bitter acorns produce coarse cork, and those which bear large and sweet 
acorns produce a finer article, and their trunks are of a more regular 
shape. These characteristics are, however, not generally to be relied 
on as indicative of the peculiarities mentioned. 
PLANTING. 
Having selected the seed, the first thing to be considered is the pre- 
paration of the soil to receive it. In woodlands it is not expedient, as 
a general thing, to dig deep, as in field labor where it is advantageous. 
The reason for this is very apparent. The roots of young trees pene- 
trate very little during the first year; during that period, therefore, and 
often during the year following, they do not reach the bottom of the 
tilled soil. By tillage the earth is lossened, but it dries easily, and if 
the summer is at all dry and hot it loses nearly all its moisture. The 
roots of the seedlings in such cases find the lower portion of the soil dry, 
and frequently impacted, conditions highly unfavorable to their proper 
development. Other disadvantages result from a deep tillage of the 
soil. Weeds and shrubs come up and grow so rapidly as to smother the 
young trees. Besides this, the roots and organic ramains placed on the 
surface rot much more rapidly than when turned under, contributing 
greatly to the rapid growth of the young plants during the first years. 
But latter on, generally after the lapse of eight or ten years, the want 
of the manure which a more tardy decomposition would have supplied 
