The Oak. 



417. The seed ought to be gathered when ripe^ and then 

 managed and sown in the same manner as directed for the 

 seed of the Hawthorn. Sometimes, however, the seed of 

 the Mountain Ash will come up the first year ; and, there- 

 fore, as the space required for the sowing of this seed will 

 necessarily be small, it may be as well to sow it, very nearly, 

 as soon as it is gathered. If the plants come up the first 

 year, or only a part of them, it will be sufficient; for a 

 great number of such plants never can be wanted. 



418. When the plants come up, they must be carefully 

 weeded and kept clean throughout the summer. In the 

 fall they will be nearly a foot high, and then they ought to 

 go into a nursery for two or three years. Not more than 

 three ; and then, when planted out, it will not be necessary 

 to cut them down the year after planting, for they have 

 very good roots to remove ; they strike off quickly ; and if 

 planted in the month of November or in March, the roots 

 will supply the plants with sap, without any cutting down. 

 If you wish the tree to be lofty, you must prune off the side- 

 shoots, as the plant advances in height, in the manner 

 directed in paragraphs 127 and 149. When it has got the 

 height of clear trunk that you wish it to have, you leave oft* 

 pruning, and the tree then presents you with a spreading 

 and ornamental head. 



THIS OAK. 



In Latin, Qiiercus; in French, Chene. 



419. The botanical characters are: — It has male and female flowers on 

 the same tree ; the male flowers are disposed in a loose katkin ; these have 

 ail empalement of one leaf, divided into four or five segments; they have 

 no petals, but many short stamina, terminated by large twin summits. The 

 female flowers, which sit close to the buds, have a hemispherical thick 

 empalement of one leaf, which is rough and entire, almost hiding the flower. 



