THE CULTIVATION OF THE OAK. 149 



would not have developed at all are impelled to grow 

 up into twigs and branches (stool-shoots) from the lower 

 parts of the cut tree. It was very usual at one time to 

 grow oak in this way for the sake of the bark, which 

 was employed in tanning, the trees being cut back again 

 and again, and renewing the coppice growth after each 

 cutting. 



There are various other modes of growing oak in 

 forests, but, whatever the system employed, the follow- 

 ing facts have to be borne in mind and provided for : 

 The oak is a tree that requires a soil of great depth, and 

 sufficiently open to allow of the free penetration of air 

 and water to the subsoil ; consequently many soils, other- 

 wise rich enough, are unsuited for the culture of this 

 tree. Again, young seedlings and plants are apt to 

 suffer from frost unless they are protected by suitable 

 mixtures of other plants; but such mixtures must be 

 chosen properly, for this tree demands light and space 

 to a degree greater than most other European trees ex- 

 cept the larch, birch, and one or two others, and rapidly 

 suffers if shaded or unduly crowded. Further, as com- 

 pared with other European trees, the oak is a tree of 

 the plains, and requires a relatively high temperature. 

 These requirements also accord with its adaptation to 

 deep, rich, well-drained soil, and, taking it all round, we 

 have to regard the oak as a tree which makes consider- 

 able demands on the locality (soil and climate) where 

 it grows. In return for this, however, it yields the 

 best of all temperate timbers. 



