GROWTH OF THE OAK. 77 



with rapidity, and frequently produces summer and 

 autumn shoots these Lammas growths, as they are 

 called, are peculiar to the oak and a few other trees 

 when young and vigorous. 



During its infancy, in plantations, the oak is- 

 generally erect and pliant, but as it grows older its 

 character becomes altered. Its roots may be seen 

 forming a basis on the surface of the ground, while 

 the form of the tree becomes developed into grander 

 outline, throwing out ponderous horizontal limbs,, 

 which, sometimes gnarled, display an elegance in 

 their twisted shapes which is often much admired. 



The acorns generally become ripe, and drop from 

 the tree, at the end of autumn, and they can be sown 

 any time after that up till the beginning of March. 

 Care should be taken to use none but seed of the first 

 quality, chosen from the best and most approved tree. 

 They Will strike in any kind of soil, but a light friable 

 soil is the best to rear oak plants in. The smallest 

 acorns produce the smallest and weakest plants,, 

 which are of feebler growth during the first few years- 

 of their lives than plants which spring from the 

 largest acorns. This fact is so well known to planters, 

 that a sieve or riddle is used, through which the 

 smallest acorns drop. 



Nurserymen usually sow the acorns in beds four 

 feet wide, in the proportion of one bushel of good 

 sound acorns to a bed twenty-five yards long of that 

 width. The soil is taken off the top of the beds, and 

 the seed fixed in it by rolling, or by being beaten 

 down with the back of a spade. The soil should then 

 be cast on roughly, but taking care that all the 

 acorns be properly hid, or covered to the depth of half 



