OF FOREST-TREES. 69 



indeed it carries it from all other timber whatsoever, for building of ships CHAP. III. 

 in genera], and in particular being tough, bending well, strong, and not ^^""^^^ 

 too heavy, nor easily admitting water. 



'Tis pity that the several kinds of Oak are so rarely known amongst 

 us, that wherever they meet with Quercus, they take it promiscuously for 



amplioribus aculeatis. Pluk. Aim. SOQ. tab. 54. fig. 4. Oak with broad spiny leaves, which 

 are divided like the Esculus. The red oak. 



This sort grows naturally in Virginia, and in other parts of North America. It arrives at a 

 large size in the countries where it naturally grows ; the bark is smooth, and of a grayish 

 colour, but that on the younger branches is darker ; the leaves are six inches long, and two 

 and a half broad in the middle; they are obtusely sinuated, each sinus ending with a bristly 

 point, of a bright green, standing upon short foot-stalks. The leaves continue their verdure 

 very late in autumn, so tliat, unless hard frost comes on early, they do not fall till near 

 Christmas, before which time they change their colour and become red. The acorns of this 

 sort are a little longer, but not so thick as those of the common Oak. 



6. QUERCUS C PRiNus ) foliis obovatis utrinque acuminatis sinuato-serratis, denticulis 

 rotundatis uniformibus. Lin. Sp. Plant. 1413. Oak rvitk oblong oval leaves, which are 

 pointed on both sides, and have sawed sinuses, with uniform roundish indentures. Quercus 

 castaneas foliis procera arbor Virginiana. Pluk. Aim. 309. The chestnut-leafed oak. 



This grows naturally in North America, of which there seems to be two kinds ; one grows to 

 a much larger size than the other, though this may be occasioned by the soil in which they 

 grow. The largest sort grows in the rich low lands, where it becomes the largest tree of any 

 of the Oaks in those countries: the wood is not of a fine grain, but is very serviceable ; the 

 bark is gray and scaly; the leaves are five or six inches long, and two inches and a half broad 

 in the middle, indented on the edges, and have many transverse veins running from the 

 midrib to the borders ; they are of a bright green, and so nearly resemble the leaves of the 

 Chestnut-tree, as scarcely to be distinguished from them. The acorns of this sort are very 

 large, and have short cups. The leaves of the other are not so large, nor so strongly veined, 

 and the acorns are smaller and a little longer, which may arise from the soil. 



7. QUERCUS C NIGRA ) foliis cuneiformibus obsolete trilobis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 1413 



Oak with wedge-shaped leaves, having three worn-out lobes. Quercus folio non seiTato in sum- 

 mitate quasi triangulo. Catesb. Car. 1. p. 20. The black oak. 



This grows naturally on poor land in most parts of North America, where~ it never comes to a 

 large size; the wood is of little value. The bark is of a dark brown colour; the leaves are 

 very broad at the top, where they have two waved indentures, which divide them almost 

 into three lobes; they diminish gradually to their base, where they are narrow; they are 

 smooth, of a lucid green, and have short foot-stalks. The acorns are smaller than those of 

 the common Oak, and have short cups. Of this species we have a variety or two, one par- 

 ticularly with trifid leaves, and another slightly trilobate, called ihQ Black Oak of the Plains. 



