226 WOODS OF COMMERCE 



exposure, and being more liable to '' worm " attack tban British 

 Oak. 



Throughout Europe, and more specially in Britain, Oak was 

 employed for every purpose both of naval and civil architecture 

 until about the beginning of the eighteenth century, when Pine 

 was first largely imported from the Baltic and North America. 

 In our dockyards Oak continued to be in large demand until about 

 1865, all other hard and heavy woods used in shipbuilding being 

 compared with it as a standard, and described as " Oak-substi- 

 tutes." Oak has, however, one serious drawback in this con- 

 nexion — viz., the presence of a powerful wood acid, which exerts 

 a rapidly corrosive action upon any iron in contact with it, this 

 rusting being apt in turn to react upon the timber, producing rot. 

 With the introduction of armour-plating and steel ships, wood of 

 any kind has become far less important in ship-building, and Teak 

 has largely superseded Oak. In Lloyd's Register, however, English, 

 Erench, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Adriatic Oak, and Live 

 Oak, Q, virens of the United States, are classed together on line 2, 

 Though the greater cheapness and lightness of coniferous wood have 

 led to its being now generally preferred in building, Oak is still 

 in request where strength and durability are objects. Large 

 quantities are used for palings, shingles, staves, parquet-floors, 

 wheelwright's work, wainscot, furniture, and carving. For these 

 last three purposes the softer, more figured, wood is preferred, 

 whilst for gate-posts, doors, stair-treads, door-sills, etc., the harder 

 sorts are employed. The ancient Romans are said to have used 

 the evergreen Holm Oak (Q, Ilex) for axles, and hard Oak is still 

 used for this purpose on the Continent. Walking-sticks are also 

 made of Oak, and it furnishes an excellent charcoal. Excellent 

 Oak is imported from Roumania. 



Oak, Zeen {Quercus Miheckii Durien). North- West Africa. 

 Height 100 — 110 ft. ; diam. up to 6 ft. S.G. when green 924. 

 Breaking-weight per square millimetre 7-4 kilos, as against 4*7 — 7*2 

 kilos for European Oak. Yellowish or rose-coloured ; pith-rays 

 numerous, broad, close ; heavy, horny, straight-grained, very 

 durable, but liable to shakes and warping. Used for sleepers, 

 bridge-girders, piles, and wine-barrels ; and, when winter-felled 

 and seasoned for six or twelve months, is one of the most valuable 

 timbers of Tunis, where it covers about 26,500 acres. 



Oaks in America are somewhat numerous, three well-marked 

 kinds — ^White, Red or Black, and Live Oak — being distinguished 

 in commerce. The evergreen or Live Oak {Q. virens) of the 

 Southern United States, formerly much employed in ship-building, 

 though smaller than White Oak, is one of the heaviest, hardest, 

 and most durable timbers of the country. White Oak is more 

 compact, tougher, stronger, and more durable than Red Oak. 



