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The Old Cork Oak at Fulham Palace. , 
-The engraving on p. 145 (^g- 22) represents one of 
the oldest and finest Cork Oak trees in the country. The 
engraving was executed from a photograph taken for 
us by Mr. Arthur Smith in the autumn of last year . 
The tree has passed its prime, having been planted 
af Fulham, probably by Bishop Compton, more 
than 200 years since. At breast height the tree 
girths about 10 feet. It is a fine specimen, but needs 
the support of Ivy-clad props. From ^e a^rns 
numerous seedlings have been raised. The Cork Uak, 
Q Suber, is a native of Southern Europe and 
Northern Africa. When the, br^e is about fift^n 
years old its bark is removed by incision^ in such a 
manner that no injury is done to the. ‘tree. After 
eight or nine years the process can be repeated. The 
outermost layers form the “ male cork,” which is oj 
little value, except in the form of “ virgin cork. 
After their removal new corky layers are formed in 
the denuded bark, which constitute the female cork, 
or cork of commerce. The tree at Fulham stands in 
the angle between the palace and the newly- erected 
chapel, on the walls of which latter Ivies of various 
kinds are placed, some of which have made extra- 
ordinary growth, especially the Silver Ivy. 
