4 FAMILIAR TREES 
which supplied the cannon of Elizabeth’s navy. 
When in sheltered situations, or massed together 
in forests, it may reach a height of from sixty to 
one hundred. feet, with a straight stem of from 
thirty to forty feet, and a girth which is commonly 
eight or ten feet, though many fine old trees are 
from three even to seven times that circumference. 
In exposed situations it is generally shorter and 
less straight in its growth, and then also has the 
hardest wood, though this may be rather a 
characteristic of one of the three varieties than 
the effect of the situation. 
Of these varieties, the White Oak, the chéne blane 
of the French (Q. Robur pedwneulu'ta Ehrh.), is the 
most abundant in the southern and midland coun- 
ties. Its leaves have no stalks, and are only 
downy on the under-surface when young; while 
its flowers, and consequently its acorns also, are 
generally two or more together, on long peduncles. 
It reaches a less height, but is said to be less 
liable to the defects known as “cup-” and “star- 
shake” than the sessile-fruited varieties. 
These last are commonly united under the 
names Durmast Oak and Q. Robur  sessiliflor’a 
Salisb., which should be applied to distinct 
forms. They agree in having stalked leaves and 
stalkless acorns; but the true Q. sessiliflora is 
more abundant in the north and _ west, its 
fine straight stems being seen at the best in the 
Forest of Dean; whilst the true Durmast Oak 
(Q. interme'dia D. Don) is a dark-fruited variety, 
occurring in the New Forest, the under-surfaces of 
