192 FOREST TREES. 



be propagated, except in maritime regions; and it has 

 even been supposed that sea air is essential to its existence. 



CORK OAK. 



The tree which furnishes all the cork used in the 

 domestic and useful arts, is confined to the south of Eu- 

 rope and the north of Africa. It is an evergreen, though 

 a great portion of the leaves fall every spring, giving place 

 to fresh ones. They are oblong oval, of a light green 

 above, and whitish beneath. Acorns large and half buried 

 in their cups, of sweet taste, and palatable to some ani- 

 mals, especially swine. The timber of this tree is hard 

 and compact, but less durable than the more common oaks. 

 The principal value of the cork oak is in the bark, 

 which indeed constitutes the riches, in a great measure, 

 of those countries where it grows naturally or by cultiva- 

 tion. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and some of the 

 Barbary States, furnish the cork for commerce. 



The first coat which is taken from the tree, when it is 

 about fifteen years old, is of little value, being thin, hard, 

 and full of fissures. The second coat, which is removed 

 about ten years after, is valued but slightly. Thfe bark is 

 afterwards removed once in about eight or ten years, and 

 every succeeding crop increases in value. 



July and August, are the months for removing the 

 bark, which is done by making incisions lengthwise of 

 the body and two or three in a circular direction, by the 

 application of wedges, hammers, &,c. After the bark is 

 removed, it is slightly charred to contract its pores, when 

 by the application of weights to flatten its surface, it is 

 prepared for market. 



Two thousand five hundred tons of cork were import- 

 ed into Great Britain in the year 1827. France is sup- 

 posed to furnish seventeen or eighteen thousand quintals 

 of cork annually, each quintal giving seven or eight thou- 

 sand corks, amounting to a hundred and ten or a hun- 

 dred and fifteen millions, most of which are consumed 

 in that country. Michaux is of opinion, that the intro- 

 duction of the cork oak into the United States, would 

 prove a great acquisition to the country. 



VARIOUS OAKS. 



The species of oaks are too numerous to admit of a 



