THE GENESEE FARMEPw. 



219 



AHERICAX LITE OAK. 



AMERICAN LIVE OAX. 



The Green or Live Oak {Quercus virens) is con- 

 fiaed to the maritime parts of the Southern States. 

 Its most northern boundary is Norfolk, in Virginia, 

 from whence it spreads along the coast for a dis- 

 tance of 1500 or 1800 miles, stretching beyond the 

 mouth of the Mississippi. The sea air seems essen- 

 tial to its existence, for it is rarely found in forests 

 oo the main land, and never, it is believed, more 

 than from 15 to 20 miles from the sea. Stuart, 

 u his Three Years in North America, thus speaks 

 of the Live Oak, in describing his journey form 

 "Washington to Charleston: "On this day's jour- 

 ney, I first saw, and in great numbers, the most 

 valuable of American trees, the Quercus virens, 

 the most durable of oaks. It flourishes most on 

 lands adjacent to salt water. It is almost as heavy 

 as lignum vitas {Ouaiacum officinale). Its trunk is 

 generally not long ; but its crooked branches fre- 

 quently spread over more than a quarter of an 

 acre of ground. The wood of this tree is almost 

 incorruptible. It was on account of the abundance 

 of tliis tree in Florida, fit for building ships of war, 



that the Americans showed the great anxiety, 

 which was at last gratified in 1819, to add Florida 

 to their extensive territory, and which has led the 

 general government, since its acquirement, to lay 

 out very large sums in the preservation and estab- 

 lishment of live oak plantations in Florida." 



According to Michaux, the live oak is much 

 stronger and comparatively more durable than even 

 the white oak, and is more esteemed for ship build- 

 ing than any other wood in the United States. 



Catksbt, in his Natural History of Carolina, 

 describes it as a pyramidal tree 40 feet high, in the 

 salt marshes of Carolina. He adds that the acorna 

 are remarkably sweet, and were used by the In- 

 dians to thicken their venison soup, and for express- 

 ing an oil which was very much like the oil of 

 sweet almonds. The acorns are of an elongated 

 oval form, nearly black, contained in greyish cups. 

 They are very abundant, and germinate with such 

 ease that, if the weather is wet at the season of 

 maturity, many acorns are found on the trees with 

 the radicle unfolded. 



As shown in our engraving, the live oak forms a 



