14<0 Gilpin's toeest, scenery. 



spray corresponds exactly witli that of the larger 

 branches, of which, indeed, the spray is the origin. 

 Thus the Oak divides his boughs from the stem 

 more horizontally than most other deciduous 

 trees. The spray makes exactly, in miniature, the 

 same appearance. It breaks out in right angles, 

 or in angles that are nearly so, forming its 

 shoots, commonly, in short lines, the second year's 

 shoot usually taking some direction contrary to 

 that of the first. Thus the rudiments are laid of 

 that abrupt mode of ramification for which the 

 Oak is remarkable. When two shoots spring 

 from the same knot they are commonly of un- 

 equal length, and one, with large strides, generally 

 takes the lead. Very often also three shoots, 

 and sometimes four, spring from the same knot. 

 Hence the spray of the Oak becomes thick, close, 

 and interwoven ; so that, at a little distance, it 

 has a full, rich appearance, and more of the pic- 

 turesque roughness than we observe in the spray 

 of any other tree. The spray of the Oak, also, 

 generally springs in such directions as give its 

 branches that horizontal appearance which they 

 generally assume. 



