AMERICAN OAKS 49 



surface presenting an appearance of network of a wHte-grey colour. The 

 bark of the young trees is smooth and that of the twigs somewhat downy. 



For various domestic pui-poses the wood of the tree will be of great 

 advantage, more especially in shipbuilding. Its hard, tough texture and 

 durability, qualities of rare occurrence in the same species of oaks yet found 

 in America, gives the present a decided superiority over every other 

 native of that country ; indeed, not one for general purposes can exceed it- 

 It has been submitted to the usual tests and has been found in every point 

 equal in strength and capable of receiving a polish in the same degree as 

 Q. Rohur of EngUsh botany, to which in appearance and in the quality of 

 the Wood it is so nearly akin. 



The wood in a green state splits freely and very regularly, and makes 

 excellent barrel-staves vastly superior to that (Q. rubra) generally used 

 in the Canadas and in the United States of America, but the seasoned 

 wood is very hard to work. Among the American species of oaks it comes 

 between the White (Q. alba) and Iron Oak (Q. stellata, Willd. ; Q. obtusiloba, 

 Michx.). From the former of these species it is readily distinguished by the 

 leaves, by the smaller fruit, and by the cup not being tuberculated ; and 

 from the latter it is equally readily separated by the leaves being less deeply 

 and openly lobed, more strongly nerved, more of a coriaceous texture,, 

 sessile and larger fruit, and in having a more shallow and flatter cup. 



The wood is much harder, tougher, and more durable than the former, 

 and is not quite so hard as the latter, and from the greater toughness of 

 Q. Garryana is less hable to sphnter, and I beUeve I arci not far wrong 

 in saying it is for all purposes greatly superior to either. 



Common in alluvial deposits, on a substratum of clay, on the low banks 

 of the Columbia, but never at any time exceeding two hundred miles 

 from the sea. Plentiful on the north banks of that stream sixty miles 

 from the ocean, and from that circumstance named by Capt. Vancouver 

 " Oak Point," 1792. 



It does not form thick woods as is the case with the Pine tribe, but is 

 interspersed over the country in an open manner, forming belts or clumps 

 along the tributaries of the larger streams, on which conveniently it could 

 be floated down. Common from the 40° to the 50° North lat. 



I have great pleasure in dedicating this species to N. Garry, Esq., 

 Deputy Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, as a sincere though 

 simple token of regard. 



*** The description of this last species seems to have been added by Douglas at 

 a later date, after his journey to North-west America. — Ed. 



