THE OAK. 319 



half of life ; afterwards hornbeam thins out naturally more 

 rapidly than beech. 



3. Oak — Qiierciis (Tournef.). 



The two species of oak which will be dealt with are the 

 English or pedunculate oak = Quercus jjedunculata, Ehrb., and 

 the sessile-flowered o&k = Que>-cus sessilijiora, Salisb. From a 

 sylvicultural point of view they are so much alike that they 

 may be taken together, any differences being specially noted. 



a. Utility. 

 Oak timber is the most valuable of the indigenous species ; 

 it is heavy, hard, very durable, and splits well ; it makes 

 a good fuel. It is used for many purposes, in shipbuilding, 

 housebuilding, implements, machinery, manufacture of casks 

 (as split wood), railway sleepers, in fact for any purpose where 

 a strong durable timber is required. The bark yields an 

 excellent tanning material. The acorns are good fodder for 

 pigs and deer, and are also used for tanning and dyeing. 

 Specific gravity of air dried wood : Pedunculate oak = '76, 

 sessile-flowered oak ■= '1^. 



b. Distribi'fioit. 



Pedunculate Oak. — All over Europe up to the 60th degree 

 of latitude, in North Africa, and eastwards to Syria. It is a 

 tree of the low lands, but goes up to 1,500 feet elevation in 

 England, to 3,000 feet in the Alps, and to 4,500 feet in Greece. 

 It is indigenous in England, Ireland, and in Scotland up to 

 Sutherland; it ascends to 1,350 feet in the Highlands. 



Sessile Oak. — Does not go beyond the 54th degree of 

 latitude, but rises higher in the hills, up to 4,000 feet in the 

 Alps, and to more than 6,000 feet on Mount Etna. Somewhat 

 more a tree of the low hills than the pedunculate oak, but 

 becomes a tree of the low lands in the northern part of 

 Europe. 



