114 



LIST OF FOREST-TREES. 



equally anil regularly divided. 

 The Dunn 



Mered a variety also, 

 but having an inferior quality of wood, 

 . Mer to consider it a 

 -. The distinguishing 

 character of this species is in having 

 the under side of the leaf puK 

 in other respects it r BS \viih 



the Quernis < . in having: 



the leaf and fhlitstafks almost sitting, 

 and the leaves less deeply indented. 

 The leaves of the inferior species are 

 rvi-d to hang longer on the 

 s they continue all the 

 v. inter, approaching towards the cha- 

 : of an evergreen. This last 

 distinction, however, is not always 

 to It- depended on, as the soil and 

 health of the individual tree influence 

 its habit in this In our own 



: ience we have by no means found 

 this inferior species, tiessili- 



. and its near ally to the Dur- 

 -us pubescen*, so com- 

 mon as the foot-stalked oak, Qurrci'& 

 ; but, on the contrary, compara- 

 v uncommon. Although there 

 .nt such clear and specific facts 

 . led of the comparative difference 

 of value between the quality of these 

 two . oak, as to determine 



the exact amount of loss which is 

 occa- : v time the acorns of 



the inferior species are used for plant- 

 ing, instead of those of the more valu- 

 able above mentioned, yet the general 

 :igm favour of the 



superiority of the foot-stalked oak, 

 that nth importance to col- 



lect and sow the acorns of that 



v, at j>. -j;j, 



corn on 1: 

 i for the produc- 

 <>n which it 



lirctinll (]). -!!), 



and the 1 plants, from nur- 



I, When 1. 



transplanting 



\Vr have heli ire 







are, ac- 



also mentioned some oak trees re- 

 markable for the perfection of growth 

 they had attained; and did the limits 

 of the>e pages permit, we could add 

 greatly to the number from specimens 

 which wore, or are now in Earl 

 Powis's Park, near Ludlow ; Earl of 

 Surrey's, Work sop : Lord Bagot's in 

 Staffordshire ; Lord Holland's, Ampt- 

 bill Park*, Bedfordshire; Withy Park, 

 Shropshire, Dennington Park, Berk- 

 shire, in the weald of Kent, New 

 Forest, Hampshire, &c. These two 

 species of oak constitute a consider- 

 able portion of the forests, from the 

 sixtieth to the thirty-fifth degree of 

 north latitude, extending over a por- 

 tion of the north of Asia, and the 

 northern point of Africa. 

 The common oak is considered to be 

 the longest lived tree of the British 

 forests. Those in the New Forest, 

 mentioned by Mr. Gilpin in his Forest 

 Scenery, v. ii. p. (53, which ' chronicle 

 on their furrowed trunks, ages In-fore 

 the Conquest,' give an idea of the very 

 great length of existence this species 

 of tree is capable of maintaining ; but 

 for tacts, on which to found a satisfac- 

 tory conclusion of the average dura- 

 tion of vegetable life in this, and other 

 forest-trees, we have only the test 

 mentioned at p. 5, that of ascertaining 

 the number of the concentric circles 

 in the transverse section of the root, 

 stem, or branch of the tree, and how- 



* Tlie circumference of one of these oaks at its 



base measures upward* of -Ill (Vet, at its mean 



height about .'io feet : it is nearly hollow, and exhi- 



:, cavity apparently suth'cient to contain 



four or live middle-sized persons standing together 



\vithinside. The brandies have been of very large 



OS, and one that still remains is equal in 



Oftk, The at; e of this tree 



intixl 1) ( . very great, but the loss of the centra! wood 

 \\ ill prevent the period of it^ a"c or duration being 

 aseeilained ; and we believe then- ;nv no i 

 the plan!. 1 erwise to determine 



this interesting point. The following linn are in- 

 .il to this rfi.iai kable oak : 

 .. iii Ided furni hall; 

 e r.itriaieh of the wood ; 

 Thou whoha>t seen a thousand spring* unfold 



I'd buds, and dip their llov. ers in gold, 

 Ten thousand time* yon moon relii;ht her burn, 

 And that bright Mar of evening gild the morn; 



ckl of time. 

 , innocuous |] 



1 -hake thy Bti ndfasl root, 

 Vet shall thou fall ; thy leal 



6 moiild'ring bust, 

 i 'imMe into dust. 



thy name, 

 i "ionr thy fame; 



d Ihy liianches plil/i 



AnUbltj' : D th' iminoital lay I 



