CHAPTER XIV. 
THE ITALIAN OAK TREE (Quercus). 
There are several varieties of very valuable Oak trees 
spread over the whole length of the Italian peninsula, 
the island of Sicily, and also in the island of Sardinia, 
which in form and quality differ but slightly one from 
the other. 
Botanists might say they were all of erect growth, 
yet they very rarely attain a perfectly upright position, 
as, owing to their naturally curved and crooked form of 
stem, they must necessarily be a little, more or less, 
inclined to the horizon. They appear generally to attain 
at least moderate dimensions; but, judging from those 
imported into this country, their best specimens are 
inferior in size to many of our British Oak trees. 
The following varieties of Italian Oak, viz., the 
Quercus Robur , Q. montella, Q. Tuscana, Q. pyrenaica, 
Q. vera, Q. Ischia, and the Q. montana, are the best 
in quality. There are also the Q. cerro, Q. ALsculus, 
Q. farina, and one or two others which are not 
generally thought to be quite equal to those first 
mentioned. They may, nevertheless, occasionally com¬ 
pare favourably with them, especially when they are 
found at a moderate elevation, or on the mountain 
sides. 
The wood of the Italian Oak is brown in colour, 
