40 



BRITISH FOREST TREES. 



when the plant is not vigorous ; or it may arise from 

 some torpor or restricted connection of the roots, 

 which, when robhed of their affiliated branch, do not 

 readily forage or give their foraging to the support of 

 the nearest remaining branch, or to the general top 

 of the tree, but throw out a brush of twigs near the 

 section. 



Although the oak often lingers in the growth 

 while young, yet, after it attains to six inches or a 

 foot in diameter, its progress is generally faster than 

 most other kinds of hard wood, not appearing to 

 suffer so much as others from excessive fruit-bearing. 

 The value of tbe timber, and also of the bark, and 

 the slight comparative injury occasioned to the un- 

 der crop, whether of copse, grass, corn, or roots, inde- 

 pendently of any patriotic motives, or religious re- 

 verence lingering in our sensorium from the time of 

 the Druids, should give a preference to this ti'ee for 

 planting, wherever the soil and climate are suitable, 

 over every other kind, with the exception of larch and 

 willow, which, in particular soils, will pay better. 



The planter of oak should throw in a considerable 

 proportion of Turkish oak into the more favom^able 

 soils and situations. The beautiful clustered, fretted 

 foliage of this species gives a richness, and, in winter, 

 when it retains the withered leaf, a warmth of co- 

 louring to our young plantations beyond any other 



