genuine bark of an oak is of an afh-colour, 

 though it is difficult to diftinguifh any part of 

 it from the mofTes, that overfpread it :. for 

 no oak, I fuppofe, was ever without a greater, 

 or a lefs proportion of thefe pi&urefque ap- 

 pendages. The lower parts, about the roots, 

 are often porTefTed by that green, velvet mofs, 

 which in a ftill greater degree commonly oc- 

 cupies the bole of the beech ; though the beauty 

 and brilliancy of it lofe much, when in decay. 

 As the trunk rifesy yd\i fee the brimftone 

 colour taking ^pofTeflkfh in patches. Of this 

 there are two principal kinds j a fmooth fort, 

 which fpreads like a fcurf over the bark -, and 

 a rougher fort, which hangs in little rich 

 knots, and fringes. I call it a brimftone hue, 

 by way of general diftinclion : but it fome- 

 times inclines to an olive ; and fometimes to 

 a light green. Intermixed with thefe mofTes 

 you often find a fpecies perfectly white. Be- 

 fore I was acquainted with it, I have fome- 

 times thought the tree white- warned. Here 

 and there, a touch of it gives a luftre to the 

 trunk, and has it's effec~l : yet, on the whole, 

 it is a nuifance ; for as it generally begins 

 to thrive, when the other mofTes begin to 

 wither (as if the decaying bark were it's 



proper 



