36 BRITISH OAK GALLS. 



planted in a flower-pot and allowed to remain for 

 several years. 



For experimental gall-growing acorn seedlings are 

 best at the third or fourth year. 



The following observations made of the growth 

 from an acorn of a small tree may be of interest : 



A large acorn of Q. pediinculata was planted in 

 open ground of a garden in the autumn of the year 

 1875, and the spot marked. The following summer 

 the seedling developed in the usual manner. It has 

 now (1908) grown to the following dimensions : 

 Height, 20 ft. ; girth of trunk at emergence from 

 the ground, 35 in. ; at 3 ft. from the ground, 28 in. ; 

 area covered by lower limbs, 1 5 ft. in diameter. 



The oak often throws out new' wood dui'ing the 

 summer in the form of long, pale-green (red also some- 

 times) sappy shoots, which frequentlj^ bear many fully- 

 developed leaves. These shoots are known as Lammas 

 shoots, from the fact that they are seen early in 

 August. They grow from buds, which instead of 

 remaining dormant until the following spring thrust 

 out their latent growth on account of a wet season 

 following several hot, dry months. Some trees always 

 produce these shoots. A specimen shown to the author 

 several years ago was 7 inches long, with 12 leaves 

 on it. It was growing from a shoot of the year, 

 measuring 5 inches, with 9 leaves, all of Avhich bore 

 a great number of Neuroterns lenticidaris galls, 

 while the leaves of the Lammas shoot had no galls 

 on them. 



The strength and durability of oak timber is such 

 as is found in no other European tree, and when 

 grown in perfection it is the most valuable wood pro- 

 duced in temperate climates. It is hard, little liable 

 to crack or split, and being close-grained is easy to 

 work. The heart- wood varies somewhat in colour ; its 

 normal colour is a pale brown. 



The technical properties of oak wood are very 

 varied. The chief feature is the annular rings, which 



