1798

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

there is little or no white wood.” (p. 365.) The oak, Sang observes, “ willgrow, and even become timber of considerable size, in soils of very oppositenatures. It thrives best, however, in strong deep loam, incumbent on gravelor dry rock; but in all soils in which there is any considerable proportion ofloam it will thrive in a greater or less degree. In low situations, where thesoil is deep and moist, it grows rapidly, and attains a great size; but in suchplaces it is found to decay sooner than it does in a more elevated situation,with a drier soil. In light soils of little depth, although it grows slowly, itbecomes firm in texture; and the timber, though smaller in size, acquires astate of maturity sooner than that grown on more cool and retentive soils.In deep cool sand, it will root firmly, and arrive at a great size. In clay,incumbent on till, to which all other trees, except the beech and the sycamorehave an aversion, the oak will grow and produce useful timber.” ( Plant. Kal.,p. 62.) Sir T. Dick Lauder, havingquoted the above passage, adds, “ Our ownexperience teaches us to corroborate Mr. Sang’s opinion as to the variety of soilin which the oak may be seen to thrive. As one example, we find it growingvigorously on the banks of the river Findhorn, in every possible variety of soil,and equally well in soil superincumbent on the stratified and on the primitiverocks. It roots itself in the very face of the gneiss and granite precipices,whence it shoots forth, in the wildest and most picturesque forms, over theroaring rapids or deep abysses of the mountain stream; and every now andthen we see that the slow but certain operation of the growth of its rootswithin the fissures of the rock detaches huge masses of it, and hurls them intothe gulf below.” (Laud. Gilp., vol. i. p. 63.) “ It is wonderful,” says Evelyn,“ to consider how strangely the oak will penetrate to come to a marly bottom ;so as where we find this tree to prosper, the indication of a fruitful and ex-cellent soil is certain, even by the token of this natural augury only. Thus, bythe plantation of this tree and some others, we have the advantage of profitraised from the pregnancy, substance, and depth of our land; whilst by thegrass and corn (whose roots are but a few inches deep) we have the benefitof the crust only.” (Hunt. Evcl., p. 91.) In Hampshire, in that part of theNew Forest called the Woodlands, wherever the oak tree clay, or yellow wood-land clay, exists, its presence is more or less indicated by a spontaneous growthof oak wood. “ In all such situations,” Vancouver observes, “ this timbermay be cultivated to advantage; but, where the natural soil of the oak treedoes not occur, it is as idle to attempt its cultivation, as to divert the laws ofnature in any other respect.” (Agric. ofHamp., &c.,p. 308.)

Situation. Upland situations are generally considered the best for oak to begrown in for ship-timber; and hedgerows better than close woods for the samepurpose. The reasons, it is generally considered, notwithstanding the opinionsof Nichols and Monteath, above given, are to be found in the comparativelyslow growth of trees in dry soils fully exposed to the weather; and to thegreater degree of perfection to which the timber of every tree must arrive,when its leaves are exposed to the influence of the sun and air on every side,and from the summit of the tree to its base. Oaks, says Pliny, grown invalleys are more stately, tall, and spreading, than those grown on mountains;but the timber of the latter is far better and finer-grained, and, consequently,more durable. Mitchell is of opinion that the best oak for ship-building isproduced from a calcareous soil, in rather an upland situation, such as theSussex chalk. (l)end., p. 31.) Indeed, it is generally considered that the bestoak timber in England is produced in the county of Sussex. (See p. 614.)

Propagation and Culture. The propagation and nursery culture of the oak havebeen already treated of in our introduction to the genus (p. 1727.). The after-culture of the common oak embraces the subjects of artificial shelter, pruning,thinning, training, &c. No specific mode of pruning is applicable to the oak ;except that, where the object is ship timber of the crooked kind, the trunksought not to be freed from branches for more than 12 ft. or 15 ft. in height, inorder to throw strength into the larger limbs. It may also be advisable, insome instances, to stop the leading shoot for the same purpose. In general,