XVII.] 
SPANISH OAK. 
99 
The star-shake defect is common to it, and, taken 
altogether, it is of very inferior quality. The Spanish 
Oak did not meet with approval in either the royal or 
private ship-building yards, and consequently the ship¬ 
ments of it to this country have declined for some time 
past. It is remarkable that this Oak is of very slow 
growth (vide Table II., p. 17) ; and perhaps this in some 
measure accounts for its inferior quality, our theory- 
being that the trees of the same species which mature 
their wood most rapidly are generally the best of their 
kind. 
Table XXXVII. —Spanish Oak. 
Transverse Experiments. 
Number 
of the 
specimen. 
Deflections. 
Total 
weight 
required 
to break 
each 
piece. 
Specific 
gravity. 
1 
Weight ... . , 
reduced Wel g ht , 
to I required 
specific! t0 br eak 
gravity 1 1 ?Q uare 
rooo : lnch - 
With the 
apparatus 
weighing 
390 lbs. 
After the 
weight 
was 
removed. 
At 
the crisis 
°f 
breaking. 
Inches. 
Inch. 
Inches. 
lbs. 
j lbs. 
I 
4'25 
•25 
6-oo 
626 
IO32 
606 156-50 
2 
3 '5° 
•20 
6-15 
6l6 
1076 
572 154-00 
3 
3’65 
•25 
5-65 
544 
I030 
528 136-00 
4 
475 
‘35 
7-75 
509 
1066 
477 127-25 
5 
3-85 
•25 
8 -oo 
578 
1020 
566 144-50 
6 
4 -i 5 
•20 
6-15 
497 
1028 
483 J 124-25 
Total . 
24-15 
1-50 
397° 
3370 
6252 
3232 842-50 
Average 
4-025 
-25 
6 - 6i6 
561-66 
IO42 
538-66, 140-416 
E = 239190. 
S = 1474. 
Remarks.— Each piece broke short; in no instance was there more than 3 to 4 . inches 
of fracture. 
There are, besides the Oaks already mentioned 
several others which have not yet been brought 
sufficiently into use for their capabilities to be fairly 
tested ; and among these are the Oaks of Turkey. In 
