THE OAK. 



this tree remain much be- 

 yond the age of maturity, 

 most probably the heart, 3, 

 will be entirely worthless 

 for any special work. In 

 purchasing Oak timber, it 

 is good policy to find out 

 what the subsoil is, and then 

 the age of the timber, for 

 it is proved beyond a doubt 

 that in most cases the heart 

 is unsound after the tree 

 has reached the age of 100 

 years, especially if the sub- 

 soil does not suit, as shown 

 heretofore. 



Figure 4 is a fair illustra- 



Longitudinal section. 



Fig. 3. — A section of a well- 

 grown Oak at maturity, show- 

 ing the effect of cutting a large 

 hranch off when fifty years 

 old, hut which had healed. 



tion of an Oak growing on a 

 dry, gravelly, or rocky sub- 

 soil, and in a very elevated 

 locality. There are some specimens of this kind grow- 

 ing, or rather existing, on Dartmoor, in Devonshire, 

 well worth the while of any person who may wish to see 

 them. These Oaks are perhaps much smaller for their 

 age — which may probably be 200 or 300 years — than 

 any to be found. There they exist, but get no larger ; 

 nor can they, owing to the very elevated place in which 

 they are situated, and the rocky soil on which they 

 stand. 



The way to plant Oaks. — When a plantation of 

 Oak is to be made, it is a good plan to place the young- 

 trees three or four times thicker than what is required 

 for the maturity of the timber. Plant at a distance of 

 4 feet apart every way, and when the trees get 10 or 

 15 years old, cut two down to within a foot of the 

 ground in the sjn'ing, and bark them for the tanner, 

 leaving every third tree for timber ; these will be 12 

 feet apart, which will not be too close for good straight 

 timber. Those cut out will give underwood. If the 

 trees are planted 4 feet apart, an acre will take 2,770 



