40 THE EVERGREEN OAK. 



summer, with its sombre foliage, a pleasing contrast to the 

 brighter tints of every other tree in the neighbourhood, and 

 no less valuable when the deciduous trees have thrown off 

 their perishable garniture, and wisely prepared themselves 

 to encounter the storms of winter by clearing themselves 

 of what would oppose their boisterous progress. The Ilex, 

 too, will stand the sea-breeze uninjured, and thrives better 

 than most other evergreens in the vicinity of cities where 

 it is exposed to the effects of coal-smoke. For all these 

 reasons, therefore, now that more attention is paid to the 

 subject of planting than ever was before, man will in all 

 probability do for it what Nature refuses to perform, and 

 in all artificial plantations it will always be a favourite 

 addition to the woodland scene. 



It is a fellow-countryman of the Latin Classic Poets 

 from whom it has received frequent and honourable 

 mention. Even with us it attains a considerable size ; 

 but in the milder climates of Italy, Spain, &c. it becomes 

 a large tree, and reaches an age equal to that of some of 

 our most venerable Oaks. Hence it not unfrequently ac- 

 quired an historical interest ; and for this reason perhaps, 

 more than for its picturesque beauty, it was made the 

 theme of poetic song. The Eoman naturalist, Pliny, who 

 flourished in the first century of the Christian Era, 

 mentions a tree growing in the Vatican, which claimed a 

 higher antiquity than Rome itself. It had brazen letters 

 in the ancient Etruscan characters affixed to its trunk, from 

 which it would appear that, before the Roman name was 

 known, it was a sacred tree. Its age must therefore have 

 been 800 years at least. Three others are mentioned by the 

 same author, growing at Tibur, which tradition made to be 

 older than Tiburtus, who founded that city 1,200 years B.C. 

 Lowth considers the Teil-tree of Scripture to be identical 

 with the Ilex, which abounds in many parts of Pales- 

 tine ; Dr. J. D. Hooker has, however, decided that the 

 prevailing Oak of Palestine is Q. pseudo cocci/era ; a tree 

 which in habit much resembles Q. Ilex. 



