OAK 85 



Oak 



(Quercus Robur) 



THOUGH the British Oak is not to be recom- 

 mended for general planting in smoky towns, 

 yet several other members of the family succeed in 

 London and have attained to a large size in not a few 

 of the parks and open spaces. 



Of the British Oak there are some trees of fair 

 age and proportions, but in several places where two 

 centuries ago trees fit for ship -building were procured 

 in considerable numbers hardly a specimen is now to 

 be found. Regent's Park and St. John's Wood were 

 at one time famous for the number and size of their 

 Oak trees, no less than 976 trees having been reserved 

 for the Navy from the former then Marylebone 

 Park Fields in the reign of Charles II. Now only 

 one meagre-sized tree is to be seen. At Cam House 

 there are two remarkable Oak trees, the largest girth- 

 ing 10 feet at a yard from the ground, both being 

 in perfect health. Gospel Oak, Parliament Oak, and 

 Honor Oak have all disappeared. What is known 

 as the Shakespeare Oak (Q. Cerris) on Primrose Hill 

 was planted in 1864 to commemorate the tercentenary 

 of the great writer. 



The Turkey Oak (Q. Cerris), which was brought 

 to this country in 1735, has attained to large propor- 

 tions in most parts of the Metropolis, and from the 

 age and size of some of these trees it is evident that 

 this Oak is to be reckoned amongst the species that are 

 able to do battle with the impurities of a town atmo- 

 sphere. Of the Turkey Oak there are many trees 

 80 feet and upwards in height in the central and other 



