DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. J 19 
It should not be forgotten that the oak was worshipped 
ay the ancient Britons. Baal or Yiaoul (whence Yule) 
was the god of fire, whose symbol was an oak. Hence at 
his festival, which was at Christmas, the ceremony of kin- 
dling the Yule log was performed among the ancient Druids. 
This fire was kept perpetual throughout the year, and the 
hearths of all the people were annually lighted from these 
sacred fires every Christmas. We believe the curious 
custom is still extant in some remote parts of England, 
where the “ Yule log” is ushered in with much glee and 
rejoicing once a year. 
As an ornamental object we consider the oak the most 
varied in expression, the most beautiful, grand, majestic, 
and picturesque of all deciduous trees. The enormous 
size and extreme old age to which it attains in a favorable 
situation, the great space of ground that it covers with its 
branches, and the strength and hardihood of the tree, all 
contribute to stamp it with the character of dignity and 
grandeur beyond any other compeer of the forest. When 
young its fine foliage (singularly varied in many of our 
native species) and its thrifty form render it a beautiful 
tree. But it is not until the oak has attained considerable 
size that it displays its true character, and only when at an 
age that would terminate the existence of most other trees 
that it exhibits all its magnificence. Then its deeply fur- 
rowed trunk is covered with mosses ; its huge branches, 
each a tree, spreading out horizontally from the trunk with 
great boldness, its trunk of huge dimension, and its “ high 
top, bald with dry antiquity all these, its true character- 
istics, stamp the oak, as Virgil has expressed it in his 
Georgies — - 
