THE BEECH AND THE OAK 



35 



LEAVES OF TURKEY OAK, COMMON OAK. AND HOLM OAK. 



leaves have fairly long stalks. This 

 variety is more common in the west and 

 north. 



Some mention must be made here of 

 the curious growths upon the Oak known 

 as galls. These are the result of irritation 

 caused by certain wasp-flies, which lay 

 their eggs, accompanied by some irritant 

 secretion, in various parts of the tree. 

 The abnormal growth resulting becomes 

 the shelter and feeding-place of the grubs 

 till the}' are fully matured. One of these 

 is the Oak " apple," so named from its 

 likeness to that fruit, round and rosy, 

 appearing with the 

 early leaves. Another 

 is the " currant " gall, 

 attached to the droop- 

 ing catkins of the 

 pollen-bearing flowers, 

 often several on a 

 stalk and several stalks 

 in a cluster, suggesting 

 a bunch of currants. 

 On the back of the 

 leaves may be found 

 others, one round and 

 red like a cherry and 

 so named " cherry " 

 gall; others flat. 

 rounded, brown or red, 

 crowded together, and 

 known as " spangles." 

 Another gall, which is 

 the outgrowth frr)m an 

 Oak bud, is itself like 



FRUIT OF TURKEY OAK ONE YEAR 

 OLD AND FULL GROWN. 



a curiously enlarged bud, the appearance 

 of which is indicated by its usual desig- 

 nation, " artichoke " gall. Then there is 

 the " marble " gall, hard, green at first, 

 changing to brown, growing out of the 

 substance of the twig, to which it still 

 adheres after the fly has escaped. 



There are, besides, many other kinds of 

 Oak in cultivation. Two only of these 

 need here be briefly described, and their 

 details set forth in comparison with those 

 of the Common Oak. They are the Tur- 

 key Oak and the Holm Oak, trees which, 

 though rarer, are yet 

 not unfrequently to be 

 met with in parks or 

 gardens. 



THE TURKEY OAK 



The Turkey Oak is 

 also knowTi as the 

 " mossy-cupped " Oak, 

 from its verv distinc- 

 tive fruit-cup. Tliis 

 tree has the general 

 characteristics of the 

 Common Oak, but its 

 tendency is to grow 

 more uniformly up- 

 right rather than 

 spreading. Its branches 

 are less twisted, its 

 twigs longer. Its hdrk 

 is darker in colour. 

 Its biais arc more 



