CHAPTER XIV. 

 i 



THE ITALIAN OAK TREE (Quercus). 



THERE are several varieties of very valuable Oak trees 

 spread over the whole length of the Italian peninsula, 

 the island of Sicily, and also in the island of Sardinia, 

 which in form and quality differ but slightly one from 

 the other. 



Botanists might say they were all of erect growth, 

 yet they very rarely attain a perfectly upright position, 

 as, owing to their naturally curved and crooked form of 

 stem, they must necessarily be a little, more or less, 

 inclined to the horizon. They appear generally to attain 

 at least moderate dimensions ; but, judging from those 

 imported into this country, their best specimens are 

 inferior in size to many of our British Oak trees. 



The following varieties of Italian Oak, viz., the 

 Quercus Robur, Q. montella, Q. Tiiscana, Q. pyrenaica, 

 Q. vera, Q. Ischia, and the Q. montana, are the best 

 in quality. There are also the Q. cerro, Q. dEsculus, 

 Q. farina, and one or two others which are not 

 generally thought to be quite equal to those first 

 lentioned. They may, nevertheless, occasionally com- 

 >are favourably with them, especially when they are 

 found at a moderate elevation, or on the mountain 

 sides. 



The wood of the Italian Oak is brown in colour, 



