THE oak: leaves. 23 



admirably where bent timbers are required^, 

 as in what are called the knees^ in ship- 

 ping." 



The knees in shipping ?" responded one 

 of my hearers^ inquiringly. 

 ' They are called hiees^'' I added ; signi- 

 ficantly enough, on account of their form. 

 Their place and use in the ship are against 

 the ribs, or side timbers, to support the main 

 beams of the deck." 



But you have brought me an oak branch. 

 Now observe the leaves : See how much they 

 seem to grow in bunches ! And look at each 

 individual leaf. Its form is peculiar and beau- 

 tiful. The general shape, like that of many 

 others, is a longish oval ; but then, you see, it 

 is deeply scolloped ; the outline being turned 

 in and out, as if cut thus with scissors. By 



