4 THE OAK 



value to their bark. Before it is ufed, it f3 

 ground to powder; and the infufion of it 

 in water is by the tanners termed ooze. 

 The fmall twigs, and even the leaves of the 

 oak may be applied to a fimilar purpofe. 

 Galls, which are an excrefcence formed in 

 the warm countries upon the leaves of a 

 fpecies of oak, by means of an infeft, are 

 fome of the ftrongeft aflrrngents known, 

 and are much ufed in dyeing, on account of 

 their property of ftriking a deep black, with 

 the addition of vitriol of iron. The oak- 

 apples, formed in the fame manner upon 

 our trees, poflefs a fimilar property, in a 

 fmaller degree. Oak faw-duft is the prin- 

 cipal material ufed in dyeing fuftians. It 

 gives all the varieties of drab-colours and 

 fhades of brown, accordingly as it is ma- 

 naged and compounded. 



But it is by the ufe of its wood that the 

 oak has acquired its chief fame, and efpe- 

 cially for the important purpofe of (hip. 

 building. This has made it fo peculiarly 

 the favourite of England, to whofe naval 

 glory it is fuppofed materially to have con- 

 tributed. 



