THE OAK. 11 



planted out in their permanent situations, they are 

 several times transplanted in the nursery. The 

 deformed ones are cut down to the ground, and 

 then a young, vigorous, straight shoot is made, 

 instead of that which was deformed. Some of 

 those who have paid considerable attention to the 

 subject are, however, of opinion, that although trans- 

 planting probably accelerates the growth a little, the 

 advantage thereby gained is more than compensated 

 by the deterioration of the timber, which is neither 

 so strong, nor so durable, as that sown by the hand 

 of nature, or where it is to be allowed to remain 

 without transplanting. 



Of the various European oaks, the Quercus pedun- 

 culata is the most esteemed on the continent. It is 

 a magnificent tree, considerably taller than our 

 native oak. In the forests of Fontainebleau and of 

 Compiegne there are at this day many trees of this 

 species, the trunks of which measure from thirty to 

 thirty-six feet in circumference at the base, and rise 

 to the height of forty feet without a single branch. 

 Beautiful as this species is, it produces, however, 

 timber very inferior to our Quercus robur. It is 

 probable that the species which is indifferently de- 

 signated by French botanists Quercus robur, and 

 Quercus sessiliflora, is, as stated in pages 6 and 

 7, a species entirely different from our real English 

 oak; for the wood of the Quercus pedunculata is 

 described by these writers as harder and more com- 

 pact than that of the robur or sessiliflora. The 

 Quercus alba of North America very much resembles 

 the Quercus pedunculata. It is found in all the 

 countries of the United States, from Florida up to 

 Canada. It is the species chiefly used in ship- 

 building, and for houses; and casks for liquors are 

 principally made of it, as those of the red oak will 

 only contain dry goods. Considerable quantities of 

 this timber are imported into England. Parkinson 



