12 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



relates that the Indian^ extracted an oil from the 

 acorns of this species, with which they prepared 

 their food. The quercitron (Qiierciis tinctoria) is, 

 after the white oak, commonly preferred for the con- 

 struction of houses in the United States. The bark 

 of this species affords a yellow dye, which is a con- 

 siderable article of commerce ; it is used for dyeing- 

 silk and wool. The quercitron is employed by the 

 Americans in tanning leather, chiefly on account of 

 its abiuidance ; but the yellow colour which it im- 

 parts to skins is considered a defect, and is gene- 

 rally removed by a subsefjuent chemical process. 

 In the United States, the bark of almost every sort of 

 tree is used for tanning ; the abundance with which 

 it is procured rendering selection less necessary. In 

 England, oak bark is almost exclusively applied to 

 this ]Hirpose, as it contains the largest quantity of 

 tannin of any known substance. The leaves of some 

 trees may be so applied. The Chinese use the coarser 

 leaves of the tea-tree in the preparation of leather. 



A fine oak is one of the most picturesque of trees. 

 It conveys to the mind associations of strength and 

 duration, which are very impressive. The oak stands 

 up against the blast, and does not take, like other 

 trees, a twisted form from the action of the winds. 

 Except the cedar of Lebanon, no tree is so remark- 

 able for the stoutness of its limbs : they do not 

 exactly spring from the trunk, but divide from it ; and 

 thus it is sometimes difficult to know which is stem 

 and which is branch. The twisted branches of the 

 oak, too, add greatly to its beauty ; and the hori- 

 zontal direction of its boughs, spreading over a large 

 surface, completes the idea of its sovereignty over all 

 the trees of the forest. Even a decayed oak,^ — 



" dry and dead, 



Stiil clad with reliques of its trophies old, 



Lifting to heaven its aged, hoary head, 



Whose foot on earth hatli i;ul but feeble hold — " 



