MONOECIA POLYANDRIA. 5S3 



to be depended upon we know not) that have 

 attain'd to more than double that age. 



Befid/ the grand purpofes to which the timber is 

 applied in navigation and architeAure, and the 

 bark in tanning of leather, there are other ufes, 

 of Jefs confequence, to- which the different parts 

 of this tree have been referred. 



The highlanders ufe the bark to dye their yarn of 

 a brown colour, or, mixed with copperas, of a 

 black colour. They call the oak " The king cf all 

 the trees in the foreft" and the herdfmen would 

 think himfelf and his flock unfortunate if he 

 had not a ftaff of it. 



The faw-duft from the timber, r.nd e/cn the leaves 

 of the tree, have been found capable of tan- 

 ning, though much inferior to the bark for that 

 purpofe. 



So great is the aflringency of the bark, that in a 

 larger dofe, like the Feruz'ian kind, it has been 

 known to cure the ague. 



The expreffed juice of the galls or oak-apples (ex- 

 crefcencies occafioned by a fmall infecl call'd a 

 Cynips) mixed with vitriol and gum-arabic, 

 will make ink. 



The leaves of the oak are very fubject to be co- 

 vered with a fweet vifcous juice, call'd honey- 

 dew, which bees and other infcds are very fond of. 

 The leaves of a great variety of fhaUna alfo feed 



upon them. 



The 



