218 The White Oak. 



The wood is reddish, and very similar to that of the European 

 oak, though Ughter and less compact: in the American species 

 the vessels which occupy the intervals of the concentric circles 

 are visibly less replete. But of all the American oaks, this is the 

 best and the most generally used, being strong, durable, and of 

 large dimensions. It is less employed than formerly in building, 

 only because it is scarcer and more costly. The excellent prop- 

 erties of this wood cause it to be preferred for a great variety of 

 uses, among which are many articles manufactured by the wheel- 

 wrights. White oak perfectly seasoned is employed for the 

 frames of coaches, waggons and sledges, for the mould boards of 

 ploughs, the felloes, spokes and naves of wheels. The wood of 

 the young stocks is very elastic and is susceptible of minute di- 

 vision, hence it is preferred for large baskets used in harvesting, 

 for the hoops of seives, the bottoms of riddles and the handles of 

 coach whips; for pail handles and axe helves. In many parts of 

 the Middle States, the white oak is selected for the posts of rural 

 fence. The bark is considered by many tanners as the best for 

 preparing leather for saddles and other similar objects; it is little 

 employed, however, because the bark of the trunk and large limbs 

 only is employed, and on these the cellular integument is much 

 thinner in the white, than in the red and black oaks. The white 

 oak furnishes staves of the best quality, of which are made casks 

 for wine and spirituous liquors. The domestic consumption for 

 this purpose is immense, and vast quantities are exported to the 

 West Indies, Great Britain, and the islands of Madeira and Ten- 

 eriffe. The young stocks are very elastic and are used for hoops. 

 Among the uses of this wood, the most important is in ship build- 

 ing. In all the dock yards of the Northern and Middle States, 

 except Maine, it is almost exclusively employed for the keel and 

 always for the lower part of the frame and the sides: it is pre- 

 ferred for the knees when sticks of a proper form can be found. 

 In the smaller ports south of New York, the upper part of the 

 frame is also made of white oak; but such vessels are les§ esteem- 

 ed than those constructed of more durable wood. The medici- 

 nal properties of oak bark depend on its astringency, and that 

 again on its tannin. The inner bark of the small branches is the 

 strongest, the middle bark next, and the outer bark is almost use- 

 less. Internally it may be given in form of decoction, of infusion, 

 or powder, as a tonic and astringent in leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, 

 etc., and also in intermittents. Externally, as a styptic, astrin- 

 gent, and antiseptic, when sprinkled in form of a powder over 

 gangrenous, and ichorous ulcers. Inhaled in the form of impalpa- 

 ble powder it has been known to cure phthisic, even in its ad- 

 vanced stages. Bylva Americana. 



