THE OAK. 



tributed. Thus Pope, in his Windfor- 

 Foreft, fpeaking of vegetable treafures, fays, 



Let India boaft her plants, nor envy we 

 The weeping amber and the balmy tree, 

 While by our oaks the precious loads are borne, 

 And realms commanded which thofe trees adorn* 



Oak-timber is fitted for this purpofe, by 

 its ftrength and durability, and alfo by the 

 property of not readily fplintering, a cir- 

 cumflance of much confequence fince the 

 invention of cannon. Ships of war, there- 

 fore, if not entirely built of oak (which from 

 the prefent fcarcity of that timber is feldom 

 done) have always their fides planked with 

 it. The crooked pieces of this wood pro- 

 cured from the bend of the branches are 

 alfo ufed for the knees, by which the planks 

 are held out and fupported. Oak-timber is 

 likewife preferred for many other fervices of 

 ftrength. In houfe- building it is ufed for 

 door and window frames, and for wall- 

 plates. When more plentiful, floors and 

 Hair-cafes were alfo made of it. In ma- 

 chinery, no other wood is equal to it where 

 B 3 a great 



