LXX. CORYLA CEJE : QUE RCUS. 



881 



1610. V- L- latifolia. 



In favourable situations, in the South of France, Spain, and Italy, and also 

 in the warmest parts of England and Ireland, the Q. /'lex forms a bushy 

 evergreen tree, exceeding the middle size. The trunk is generally furnished 

 with branches from the ground upwards ; and, being concealed by the dense 

 mass of folia<re borne by these branches, the general 

 character of the species, even when fully grown, is 

 that of an immense bush, rather than that of a 

 timber tree. When judiciously pruned, or drawn 

 up by other trees, however, it forms a handsome 

 well-balanced head, on a straight trunk, and with 

 graceful pendent branches. The roots descend to 

 a very great depth, altogether disproportionate to 

 the height of the trunk ; for which reason this oak 

 is never found indigenous to soil with a wet bottom. 

 The bark is black, thin, hard, and even ; sometimes 

 slightly furrowed, but never corky. The leaves vary 

 exceedingly in shape and size, from 5 in. in length 

 and nearly 3 in. in breadth (as in Q. I. latifolia 

 and Q. 7. /agifolia), to 1 in. in length and ^ in. 

 in breadth (as in Q. I. crispa), or in. in breadth and 3 in. in length 

 (as in Q. 7. salicifolia). In some plants, the leaves are prickly, like those of 

 the holly ; and, when this is tfie case, the most prickly are nearest the 

 ground ; a circumstance beautifully exemplified in a fine tree at Purser's 

 Cross. The colour of the leaves is a dark green ; and, being convex above, 

 and quite smooth, they have a fine shining appearance. In the climate of 

 London, seedling plants grow with considerable rapidity ; attaining, in good 

 loamy soil, from 15 ft. to 20 ft. in height in 10 years from the acorn. As 

 they become larger, they grow slower ; and, after they have attained the height 

 of 30 or 40 feet, they increase in width nearly as'much as in height. The 

 tree attains a great age, remaining in a growing state for several centuries. 

 The sap wood is whitish ; but the heart, or perfect wood, is of a brown 

 colour, very close-grained, heavy, and very hard. It weighs 70 Ib. to the 

 cubic foot, and takes a fine polish ; but twists and splits a great deal in 

 drying, like most other hard and heavy woods. It is of great duration, and 



3 L 



1611. Q. JMex. 



