220 SYLVAN WINTER. 



fruit-producer, deserve some reference to its 

 timber ; for though it is not accounted of great 

 value amongst timber-trees, its wood does possess 

 qualities of strength, closeness of grain, and 

 durability. As to the last- mentioned quality, it 

 is said that it will remain sound when immersed 

 in water as long as the best Oak. 



Who can recount the virtues, and describe the 

 quahties of Oak ? Its reputation is too universal, 

 its utiHty too commonly understood to need re- 

 stating. Its slow growth is doubtless the secret 

 of its great value for solidity, compactness, hard- 

 ness, toughness, and durability. For use in ship- 

 building, in house-building, in the manufacture 

 of furniture, in the construction of every kind 

 of woodwork requiring the finest qualities of 

 strength, beauty, and endurance, it is indeed 

 unrivalled. Not merely, as we intimate, for its 

 marvellous character for strength of fibre and 

 durability is it entitled to fame. No wood is 

 more susceptible of a beautiful polish, and scarcely 

 any furniture is more esteemed, both for elegance 

 and utility, than that made of Oak. Almost 

 everything could be said in favour of its wonder- 



