13 



V. 



CUPULIFER^. 



QUERCINE^. 



THE OAK. 



QUERCUS. 



" The Arcadians believed," we are told, " that 

 " the oak was the first created of trees, and 

 " that they were the first people." Be that as it 

 ma}', the oak is a native of nearly ever}' quarter 

 of the globe, and is everywhere regarded as the 

 natural symbol of strength and sturdiness. 



At one time, the oak was most esteemed for 

 its acorns. Forests were valued by the number 

 of hogs they could fatten, and, as late as the 

 time of Henry VII., nearly one-third of England 

 is believed to ha\e been under woodland. 



Deriving its name from the Celtic, qner, fine, 

 and cue::, a tree, the oak belongs to the large 

 order of Cupuli/ero', plants that have their fruit 

 in a husk or cup. The trees referred to under 

 this order are all monoecious ; that is, the sexes 

 are represented in different flowers on the same 

 plant. 



Although there are upwards of a hundred 

 kinds of oak, we can only claim one distinct 

 species, Q. robitr ; but it is considered to surpass 

 all others. Of this species we have two varieties 



