150 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



of a brown oak chest, made for me by Messrs. Marsh, Cribb, and Co., of Leeds. 

 Mouillefert says it is one of the hardest and most valuable woods grown in France, 

 and is especially sought for by engravers, carvers, turners, and gun-makers. It 

 seems to be difficult both to propagate and to grow, at least in its youth, and Loudon 

 says that though it may be grafted on the pear or the mountain ash, it is one of the 

 most difficult trees to graft, and that it will not layer successfully, and that it grows 

 very slowly from seed, not attaining more than i foot high in four years. Seeds ^ 

 sown in autumn germinate in the following spring. The young seedling has two 

 oval entire-margined cotyledons, and attains about 4 inches in height in the first 

 year's growth. Plants may be had from the French nurserymen. Mr. Weale, of 

 Liverpool, reports as follows on a sample of this wood which I sent him : " The 

 wood is close and homogeneous in texture, tough, but inclined to be brittle. Rays 

 on transverse section invisible, and rings only to be distinguished by the difference 

 in colour of the spring and autumn wood. Harder than whitebeam, seasons well, 

 without warping or splitting, and with little shrinkage. A reliable wood when 

 thoroughly dry." (H. J. E.) 



' Mathieu, Flore Forestiire, 184 (1897). 



