454 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



4 



Quercus Suber, Linne.* 



The Cork-Oak of South-Europe and North- Africa. It is ever- 

 green and attains an age of fully two hundred years. Hardy in 

 the lowlands of England, also at Arran. Does not exhaust the soil. 

 Thrives near the sea in sandy soil. After about twenty years it can 

 be stripped of its bark every six or seven years ; but the best cork 

 is obtained from trees over forty years old. An average tree yields 

 about 10 Ibs. of cork every ten years, but under very favorable cir- 

 cumstances even 20 Ibs. [Capuron-Ludeau]. Height of the tree 

 finally about 40 feet. Acorns of sweetish taste. Mr. W. Robinson 

 found that young cork-oaks, obtained from the writer, made a growth 

 of 4 feet yearly in the humid Western Port-district of Victoria. They 

 should be planted particularly in vine-growing districts to provide 

 locally a supply of cork. About 6,000 tons of cork -bark, at a value 

 of 287,000, were exported merely from Algeria in 1878, and about 

 the same in 1880, chiefly from private forests [Major F. Bailey]. 

 The department of the Var in Southern France produces annually 

 raw cork to the value of 250,000 [Annales forestieres]. The import 

 of cork-bark during 1887 into Victoria was 37 tons, valued 1,432 ; 

 of ready corks 242,647 Ibs., valued at 23,313. The total value of 

 manufactured and raw cork imported during 1886 into Britain was 

 644,182. It is calculated that 4,000 millions of corks are required 

 annually now, for which we have no substitute. Cork-chips - are 

 used for fruit packing. The bark of Q. pseudosuber (Santi) is 

 inferior for cork, but the closely-allied Q. occidentalis (Gay), which 

 is hardier than Q. Suber, produces also an excellent cork-bark. 



Quercus Sundaica, Blume. 



Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Penang, Perak, Malacca. Height to 

 100 feet, but not reaching high altitudes, and therefore perhaps shy 

 to frost. The occurrence of oaks on the north-western mountains 

 of New Guinea has been demonstrated by Dr. Beccari ; several have 

 been discovered also there in the British territory ; hence, in all 

 probability, additional valuable evergreen species will be obtainable 

 thence for our arboreta and forests. 



Quercus Tozse, Bosc. 



South-Europe. One of the handsomest oaks, and one of the 

 quickest in growth. Will live in sandy soil and emits suckers. It 

 furnishes superior tanners' bark. 



Quercus undulata, Torrey. 



From California and Arizona to the Rocky Mountains. The 

 acorns are sweet and edible. Q. Gambelii (Nutall) is an allied but 

 distinct species [Prof. Green]. 



Quercus variifolia, Hance. 



China. A magnificent Oak. The acorns serve locally for human 

 food. 



