1920
ARBORETUM AND FRUT1CETUM.
PART III,
nowhere but in Florida.” The object of the American government being toprovide for the establishment and maintenance of a powerful navy, the culti-vation of the live oak, which is almost the only oak they have suitable forship timber, is an object of national importance.
Properties and Uses. According to Michaux, and all authors who havewritten on the oaks of America , the wood of the live oak is much stronger,and incomparably more durable, than that even of the white oak, and is moreesteemed for ship-building than any other wood in the United States . “ Fromits great durability, when perfectly seasoned, it is almost exclusively employedfor the upper part of the frame. To compensate its excessive weight, it isjoined to the red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), which is extremely light, andequally lasting. The live oak does not afford large timber; but its wide andbranching summit makes amends for this disadvantage, by furnishing a greatnumber of knees.” ( Miehx .) “ The vessels built at New York and Philadel-
phia , with the upper frame of red cedar and live oak, and the lower timbersof white oak, are as durable as those constructed of the best materials inEurope .” (Id.} The best trenails used formerly to be made of the woodof the live oak; but they are now made of locust wood, and of the heart woodof .Pinus palustris , In the southern states, the live oak is used for the navesand felloes of heavy wheels, and for screws and the cogs of mill-wheels; for allwhich purposes it is far superior to the white oak. The bark is excellent fortanning; but it is so hard and thin, that it is seldom found in sufficient quan-tities. From the acorns, which, though not sweet, are eatable, Michaux saysthat the Indians still extract an oil which they use in cookery. A greatmany trees of this species were raised and sold by Cobbett; the acorn notlosing its vitality during the voyage from America to Europe ; but we neverhear of the trees attaining any size; and, as we have already observed, theclimate is against them. As a low evergreen tree or large shrub, the live oakwell deserves a place in collections, forming an interesting bush, as shown in theportrait, given in our last Volume, of the tree at the Duke of Devonshire’s villaat Chiswick. In France, near Nantes , 80 years planted, it is 40 ft. high; thediameter of the trunk being 4 ft. In Lombardy, at Monza , 20 years from theacorn, it is 20ft. high; diameter of the trunk 5in., and of the head 14ft.Abundance of young plants and of acorns may be had from Mr. Charlwood,at 10s. per hundred, or 5s. per bushel. At Bollwyller, plants are 5 francs perdozen; and at New York , where, according to Prince’s Catalogue , it requiresprotection during winter (a fact that speaks volumes against its ever becominga profitable timber tree in this country), plants are 50 cents each.
? i 37. Q. myrtifo'lia Willd. The Myrtle-leaved Oak .
Identification, Willd., No. 4.; Pursh, No. 4.; N. Du Ham., 7. p. 151.; Rees’s Cycl., No. 4.
Spec. Cftar.,S;c . Leaves coriaceous, oblong, entire, smooth ; acute at each end. A native of Carolina,according to Willdenow , who alone has noticed this species. Pursh has admitted it into his work.The branches are round and brown ; the leaves 1 in. or more in length, coriaceous, evergreen,oblong, somewhat acute at the base; entire and slightly revolute at the margin; shiny above;opaque, but smooth, beneath j on short footstalks. The form of the leaves is much like those of thecommon broad-leaved myrtle. The flowers and fruit are unknown. {Willd., as quoted in ReessCycl .)
§ x. Lanatce. Woolly or downy-leaved Oaks.
Sect. Char. Leaves oval-oblong or lanceolate, serrated or dentated, butnot sinuated or lobed; woolly beneath. Trees, natives of Nepal ; and onlyhalf-hardy in the climate of London . They may be propagated by cuttings,which root without much difficulty; and the plants require the protectionof a wall.
i 38. Q. lana'ta Smith. The woolly-leaned Nepal Oak.
Identification. Rees’s Cycl., No. 27.
Syno-nymes. Q. lanugindsa JD. Don Prod. FI. Nep., p. 57., and Lodd. Cat..
Ham. MSS.; ? Q. oblongata D. Don, I. c.; ? <2. inc&na Royle Illust., p. 341.Engraving. Our Jig. 1804., from the tree at Kew.
ed. 1836; 0- Bdnja