56 



THE OAK. 



liar ^vith ships regularly built : vessels such as 

 these are found only among the rudest people, 

 and in the earliest stages of society ; and the 

 epoch when any of the European nations used 

 such canoes must be remote indeed." 



Speaking of the uses of the Oak generally, 

 Loudon says, " The wood of the Oak is more 

 dui'able, in every state in which it can be placed, 

 than that of any other tree which abounds in 

 large quantities in Europe. It is hard, tough, 

 tolerably flexible, strong, without being too heavy, 

 not easy to splinter, and not readily penetrated 

 by water : and hence its value in ship -building. 

 Some woods are harder, but they are more fra- 

 gile : and others are more flexible, but do not 

 possess so much hardness, toughness, and dura- 

 bility. YHiere the grain is twisted, no timber is 

 so well adapted for posts, either in house-building 

 or in setting up mills, engines, or large machines. 

 No wood lasts longer where it is subject to be 

 alternately wet and dry ; and Oak piles have been 

 known to endure many centuries. Sliingles, poles 

 and laths, last longer of this wood than of any 

 other ; and casks, and every other description of 

 cooper's work, are most durable, and best adapt- 

 ed for containing wines, ales, and other liquors, 

 when they are made of Oak. Oak timber is 2:>ar- 

 ticularly esteemed for the spokes of wheels, for 

 which the small and slow-growing Oak of moun- 

 tainous districts is greatly preferred to the more 

 rapid -growing and larger Oak of the vallej's. 

 Oaks of from fifteen to thirty years' growth make 

 the most durable poles. The young tree, when 

 from five to ten feet high, makes excellent hoops, 

 which Evelyn savs we ouo'ht to substitute for 



