92 THE OAK. 



a considerable size. It is probably the most valuable 

 wood known for ship-building, on account of its great 

 durability. In South Carolina the Live-oaks are often 

 hung with the graceful festoons of a beautiful moss, 

 which dangles from their branches in pendent masses 

 of several yards in length. 



The Cork-oak, a native of the South of Europe 

 and the northern coast of Africa, is also an evergreen, 

 and much resembles the Live-oak in appearance. 

 That useful substance, Cork, is the bark of this tree, 

 which grows to a considerable thickness; and, as 

 though designed by Providence for some peculiar 

 purpose, may be removed without injury to the tree, 

 a new coating being rapidly formed ; thus producing 

 a crop of cork about every ten years. 



The Oaks of Palestine are 

 also mostly evergreen. One 

 species, closely resembling the 

 Holly in its appearance, and 

 called the Holly-leaved Oak, 

 is particularly abundant; the 

 scenery of the Holy Land be- 

 ing often varied with its beau- 

 tiful form. 



As the climate of Syria is too warm for the Oak 

 to flourish in the valleys, it is mostly confined to the 

 more elevated positions. Groups of low shrubby Oaks 

 are scattered all over the hills of Hebron ; and many 

 of the evergreen varieties are found in the forests 

 which cover the hills of Canaan. But the tall " Oaks 

 of Bashan," spoken of in Scripture, are more attractive 



