128 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



is obtained ; and the Italian Esculent oak (Q. Esculus), 

 with sweet nutritious acorns. Those, however, who 

 wish to investigate them, will pursue this subject further 

 in European works ; while that splendid treatise on our 

 forest trees, the North American Sylva of Michaux, will 

 be found to give full and accurate descriptions of all our 

 numerous indigenous varieties, of which many are 

 peculiar to the southern states. 



The oak flourishes best on a strong loamy soil, rather 

 moist than dry. Here at least the growth is most rapid, 

 although, for timber, the wood is generally not so sound 

 on a moist soil as a dry one, and the tree goes to decay 

 more rapidly. Among the American kinds, however, 

 some may be found adapted to every soil and situation, 

 though those species which grow on upland soils, in 

 stony, clayey, or loamy bottoms, attain the greatest size 

 and longevity. When immense trees are desired, the oak 

 should either be transplanted very young, or, which is 

 preferable, raised from the acorn sown where it is finally 

 to remain. This is necessary on account of the very 

 large tap roots of this genus of trees, which are either 

 entirely destroyed or greatly injured by removal. Trans- 

 planting this genus of trees should be performed either 

 early in autumn, as soon as the leaves fall or become 

 brown, or in spring before the abundant rains commence. 



THE ELM. Ulmus. 



Nat. Ord. Ulmaceae. Lin. Syst. Pentandria, Digynia. 



We have ascribed to the oak the character of pre- 



