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Cape oak wood is, as would be expected, more like 

 that from 8. Europe, which for most purposes is more 

 valuable than the northern tree, It has been stated that 

 the bark of the Cape oak contains only five or six per cent, 

 of tannin, and is therefore useless for making leather ; but 

 it should be borne in mind that old bark from large trees in 

 Europe contains no more tannin than this. The Oak-bark 

 that produces the good leather of Europe comes mostly 

 from coppice woods. While the young green bark of Oak 

 is as rich as medium Wattle-bark (16 per cent.), the bark 

 of old trees contains, according to Mathieu, only 4 per cent, 

 of tannin. 



Oaks should be planted during July or August as slender 

 saplings 5 or 6 feet high, with a good ball of fibrous 

 roots. They should, for this purpose, have been twice 

 transplanted in the nursery. Any side branches that exist 

 in the nursery tree should be taken off with a smooth cut 

 close to the stem. When the planted tree shoots, rub off 

 all side sprouts and allow only two or three branches at the 

 crown of the tree during the first year. The second year is 

 often the most trying for Oak transplants, so that the trees' 

 store of food material should be husbanded for that year by 

 checking a too exuberant growth during the first year. If 

 necessary, water during the first summer. 



The Oak in Europe is scarcery ever planted pure. It is 

 usually mixed with Beech and more rarely Horn -beam or 

 Pine. For this purpose the Canary Pine seems the best 

 tree in the Colony the Cluster-pine where is too fast 

 growing. 



Oak pruning is an art in itself. When branches have to 

 be removed (either side branches on the stem or forking 

 branches in the crown), the sooner they are taken off the 

 better : large branches are always dangerous to meddle 

 with, on account of the liability of the Oak to internal 

 decay. Branches that have to be removed should be taken 

 off close to the stem with a saw first and then pared smooth 

 with a sharp knife. This should of course be done when 

 the leaves are off in winter. The cut surface should 

 always be painted over with coal tar. Take care not to 

 strip the under bark when a limb is removed. 1 pound 

 averages 97 acorns, and I muid sack of acorns 147 Ibs. : 

 say 15,000 acorns per muid. 



