LXX. C'OUYLA CK.'E : QUE RCUS. 



881 



IGIO. e. /. 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 foliage 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 hark 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. I. /agifolia), to 1 in. in length and i in. 

 in breadth (as in Q. I. crispaj, or ^ in. in breadth and 3 in. in length 

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

 the holly ; and, when this is the 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, iri 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 heisrht 

 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. 

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

 i colour, very close-grained, heavy, and very hard. It weighs' 70 lb. to the 

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

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



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lyii. Q. nex. 



