THE HOLM OAK 119 



split whilst drying. It is, however, very durable 

 and of considerable flexibility, so that it is in use 

 in Languedoc for the handles of hatchets and other 

 tools. Evelyn, who was a great admirer of this 

 species, and an advocate for the more extensive 

 planting of it jn England, recommends it also for 

 " mallet-heads, mall-balls, chairs, axle-trees, wedges, 

 beetles, pins, and palisadoes in fortification," and 

 it has been suggested for naval architecture, its' 

 weight rendering it suitable for use in the bottoms 

 of ships, whilst its great strength makes it pos- 

 sible to' use it in smaller scantlings than Common 

 Oak. In Spain it is 'used for charcoal, which 

 it yields of excellent quality ; and there can be 

 no doubt as to its great value for planting near 

 the sea-coast to screen other trees, which are in 

 general so far less able to bear the sea-breeze. 

 With the trees planted close together in a row in 

 such a situation, a warm and handsome hedge 

 could be grown to a height of forty or fifty feet 

 in even a less number of years. Few things, 

 perhaps, are more striking ■ to the eye of the 

 thoughtful observer of plant-life than the exuber- 

 ance of this and other evergreens in proximity to 

 the sea. The Holm is also said, owing to its com- 

 pactly rounded outline and tough and solid wood, 

 to be less liable to injury by wind or lightning 

 than any ' other species of Oak. However . this 

 may be as regards wind, it is riot improbable 

 with reference to lightning, though, perhaps, for 

 a reason not generally recognised — its possession, 

 in fact, of a perennial covering of pointed leaves. 



