XXI.] THE INDIAN OAKS. 207 



Afghanistan in the North-West to Bhotan in the East, 

 and yields large timber of a reddish grey hue, very hard, 

 and used for all kinds of building work. 



Q. incana has roughly the same distribution in 

 longitude, but grows at a lower altitude, 3-8,000 feet, 

 and has a browner and even harder heart-wood which 

 warps and splits a good deal, rendering it difficult to 

 season and work. This is also used for building to some 

 extent. 



The chief Oaks of the North- Western regions are 

 Q. dilatata, yielding large timber which, though hard, 

 seasons well and does not warp, is durable and used for 

 building purposes ; and Q. Ilex, the Holm Oak or Ilex 

 of Southern Europe, used for minor purposes. 



The Darjeeling Oaks grow in the Eastern Himalayas 

 and are chiefly Q. pachyphylla, with a very durable 

 greyish timber, and the commonest Oak of the higher 

 elevations (8-10,000 feet), where it is used for planking, 

 palings, shingles, &c. ; Q. annulata, with handsome and 

 well-marked, but not very durable wood ; Q. lamellosa, 

 with similar timber showing splendid "silver-grain," 

 and much employed for all kinds of building and con- 

 struction, but not so durable as Q. pachyphylla if Q-K'posed 

 to damp. Q. lappacea grows in the Khasia Hills, and it 

 and Q. lancecefolia are not much used. 



Q. fenestrata grows in Burmah, and is used for 

 building in the Khasia Hills, and Q. spicata is similarly 

 employed in Assam. 



Q. Griffithii has a very hard, brown wood, much like 

 that of strong English Oak, and is used in the Khasia 

 Hills ; and Q. serrata resembles it in most respects. 



Quercus lanuginosa and Q. acuminata are interesting, 

 but their timber is not much employed except as 

 firewood. 



