CHAP. XV.] 
DANTZIC OAK. 
9 i 
distinct to qualify it in some instances for wainscot 
purposes. It is of fair durability, and is largely used 
in the construction of the mercantile ships of this 
country, but only sparingly for our ships of war, except 
for their decks, for which purpose it is regarded as a 
speciality, as it stands well the wear and tear of the gun 
carriages. For planking it is much esteemed, as the 
grain is straight, clean, and almost free from knots- 
Further, it is so pliable and elastic, when boiled or 
heated by steam, that it may be bent into the most 
difficult of curved forms without showing any sign of 
fracture. 
This description of timber is carefully classified by 
the merchants, and divided into crown and crown brack 
qualities, the former being selected from trees of the 
fairest growth, clean in the grain, and generally free 
from every kind of coarseness and defect, while the 
crown brack includes the short and irregularly grown 
trees, and all those of a rough, coarse, and knotty 
character. 
With the Oak planks they are more particular than 
with the timber, and endeavour to secure uniformity in 
their arrangement by employing a sworn bracker to 
make the classification. Thus the planks of each thick¬ 
ness are sorted into first and second qualities, or rather 
into crown and crown brack qualities as understood in 
the trade, and are respectively distinguished by the 
mark W on the best, and WW on the second best, plainly 
rased upon the side of the plank. Those of the crown 
quality are selected from the finest and fairest grown 
trees only, the crown brack being made up of planks 
produced from trees of less regular growth, including 
the coarse and sometimes faulty pieces. The com- 
