I FAMILIAR TREES 



which supplied the cannon of Elizabeth's navy. 

 When in sheltered situations, or massed together 

 in forests, it may reach a height of from sixty to 

 one hundred feet, with a straight stem of from 

 thirty to forty feet, and a girth which is commonly 

 eight or ten feet, though many fine old trees are 

 from three even to seven times that circumference. 

 In exposed situations it is generally shorter and 

 less straight in its growth, and then also has the 

 hardest wood, though this may be rather a 

 characteristic of one of the three varieties than 

 the effect of the situation. 



Of these varieties, the White Oak, the chene blanc 

 of the French (Q. Robur peduncula'ta Ehrh.), is the 

 most abundant in the southern and midland coun- 

 ties. Its leaves have no stalks, and are only 

 downy on the under-surface when young ; while 

 its flowers, and consequently its acorns also, are 

 generally two or more together, on long peduncles. 

 It reaches a less height, but is said to be less 

 liable to the defects known as " cup- " and " star- 

 shake" than the sessile-fruited varieties. 



These last are commonly united under the 

 names Durmast Oak and Q. Robur sessiliflor'a 

 Salisb., which should be applied to distinct 

 forms. They agree in having stalked leaves and 

 stalkless acorns; but the true Q. sessiliflora is 

 more abundant in the north and west, its 

 fine straight stems being seen at the best in the 

 Forest of Dean; whilst the true Durmast Oak 

 (Q. intermedia D. Don) is a dark-fruited variety, 

 occurring in the New Forest, the under-surfaces of 



