LXX. CORYLA‘CEZ : QUE’RCUS. 881 
1610. Q. J. latifolia. 
In favourable situations, in the South of France, Spain, and Italy, and also 
in the warmest parts of England and Ireland, the Q. Z‘lex forms a bushy 
evergreen tree, exceeding the middle size. The trunk is generally furnished 
with branches from the ground upwards ; and, being concealed by the dense 
mass of foliage borne by these branches, the general ' 
character of the species, even when fully grown, is 
that of an immense bush, rather than that of a 
timber tree. When judiciously pruned, or drawn 
up by other trees, however, it forms a handsome ff 
well-balanced head, on a straight trunk, and with a 
graceful pendent branches. The roots descend to x 
a very great depth, altogether disproportionate to 
the height of the trunk ; for which reason this oak 
is never found indigenous to soil with a wet bottom. 
The bark is black, thin, hard, and even; sometimes 
slightly furrowed, but never corky. The leaves vary 
exceedingly in shape and size, from 5in. in length j 
and nearly 3in. in breadth (as in Q. J. Jatifolia i81T:. eFax: 
and Q. J. fagifolia), to lin. in length and 3 in, 
in breadth (as in Q. J. crispa), or 4in. in breadth and 3 in. in length 
(as in Q. J. salicifolia). In some plants, the leaves are prickly, like those of 
the holly; and, when this is the case, the most prickly are nearest the 
ground ; a circumstance beautifully exemplified in a fine tree at Purser’s 
Cross. The colour of the leaves is a dark green ; and, beimg convex above, 
and quite smooth, they have a fine shining appearance. In the climate of 
London, seedling plants grow with considerable rapidity ; attaining, in good 
loamy soil, from 15 ft. to 20ft. in height in 10 years from the acorn. As 
they become larger, they grow slower ; and, after they have attained the height 
of 30 or 40 feet, they increase in width nearly as much as in height. The 
wee attains a great age, remaining in a growing state for several centuries. 
The sap wood is whitish ; but the heart, or perfect wood, is of a brown 
colour, very close-grained, heavy, and very hard. It weighs 70 1b. to the 
cubic foot, and takes a fine polish ; but twists and splits a great deal in 
drying, like most other hard and ve woods, It is of great duration, and 
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