64 



THE OAK. 



many knees and elbows rendered useless, and 

 would count the cost of clearing the bark of so 

 many superficial feet of nuisances. But, for this 

 we must not quarrel with him ; nor, in our love 

 of Nature, forget her useful subserviency to the 

 arts of civilized life. 



About the end of April the season for barking 

 commences ; and to this process Oaks both old 

 and young are equally subjected; those of from 

 twenty to thirty years' growth, however, being 

 preferred. Oak bark is occasionally used in me- 

 dicine, and is employed also as a dye, but is most 

 valuable for the principle called tannin, which is 

 indispensable in the manufacture of leather. 

 Every part of the tree, indeed, abounds in astrin- 

 gent matter, and even the leaves and sawdust will 

 tan leather, linen cloth, and netting or cordage, 

 which is to be much exposed to the weather. 



Melancholy though the sight is, when, resort- 

 ing to some favourite woodland haunt, one en- 

 counters a dreary assemblage of naked wooden 

 poles, instead of a grove of Oaks just budding 

 into life ; " yet the various appendages of wood- 

 cutting, piles of bark, and scattered boughs, and 

 timber wains, are not unpleasing objects. The 

 deep, hollow tone also of the woodman's axe, or 

 of axes responsive to each other in different parts 

 of the wood, are notes in full harmony with the 

 scene, though their music is a knell. The fallen 

 tree, also, lying with its white peeled branches 

 on the ground, is not only beautiful in itself, but, 

 if it be not scattered in too great profusion (for 

 white is an unaccommodating hue), it forms an 

 agreeable contrast with the living trees. But 

 when we see it deprived of its beautiful ramifica- 



