378 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



short statement of each hardy deciduous tree, with the uses to which the 

 timber is applicable. 



The Oak (Quercm robur pedunculata). This well-known tree is a 

 native of Britain. It is a slow grower, but it is one of the most orna- 

 mental of our timber-trees, and in the course of time attains very large 

 dimensions. The timber is used in shipbuilding, and in almost every 

 other purpose to which timber can be applied. The bark is valuable, 

 and is used extensively for tanning purposes. 



Many other substances are now used for tanning leather, such as Terra, 

 Japonica, and Veronica ; but they do not answer the purpose so well as 

 good oak-bark, which produces a better colour and quality of leather 

 than the aforementioned. 



Tlie Oak (Quercus robur sessiliflora}. This grows quicker than the 

 pedunculata, but generally does not attain such a great age. The sessili- 

 fiora may be said to grow with a cleaner stem than the other, and with 

 a less spreading head of branches, but the quality of the timber is not 

 considered so good. 



The Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris). This tree has finer-grained timber 

 than the others, but the quality is not much inferior. It is of more 

 rapid growth than either of the former. 



The quality of all oak timber depends much upon the nature of the 

 soil and subsoil in which it is grown. Those trees which are grown on 

 grounds of moderate elevation, and in a light loam soil, produce the best 

 timber. 



Evergreen Oak (Quercus ilex). This is a native of Italy, Spain, France, 

 and the south of Europe. It grows slowly in this country, and cannot be 

 said to attain the size of a useful timber-tree, but it has an ornamental 

 effect. 



The Ash (Fraxinus excelsior, Linnaeus). This is one of the most useful 

 of our timber-trees. It is a native of this country. The quality of the 

 timber is very tough and elastic. It is very useful for general country 

 purposes, even from an early stage of its growth. 



Mountain-Ask (Pyrus aucuparia). This is a tree which does not attain 

 a great height. It is very hardy, and will grow in exposed situations. 

 The timber is fine grained, of a hard quality when matured, and can be 

 highly polished. It is a very ornamental tree, as it produces clusters of 

 red berries in a season of the year when there is not much to enliven 

 pleasure-grounds and woodland walks. 



The Beech (Fa/jus sylvatica, Linnaeus). This tree is found over all the 

 temperate parts of Europe, and also in Asia. It is a magnificent tree 

 when arrived at considerable age, and equals in dimensions the oak and 

 ash. There are some very fine ornamental varieties, such as the weeping- 



