They now came to a part of the forest where many large oaks had been recently felled. Leafless, and stript of all, but the stumps of the larger branches, they lay at length upon the ground, and made a striking contrast to the green and flourishing trees that grew around.
Charles inquired, what made them look so white? Mr. Mansfield replied, that they had been stript of their bark, or outer skin, which was used by the tanner, in the process of manufacturing leather. “Indeed,” added he, “every part of the oak may be employed in tanning; the saw-dust, the leaves, all have a binding quality, that, in process of time, will harden the raw hide of beasts into leather.”
“Acorns grow upon oaks, don’t they, sir?” said Charles.
“To be sure they do,” answered Arthur. “I have seen them in abundance since we have been riding. Are they good to eat, grandpapa?”
Mr. Mansfield. You would find them bitter and disagreeable, but pigs and deer fatten upon them. Did you ever take notice of the cups?
As he said this, he broke off a bough from a tree which they were passing, and gave it to the boys to examine.
“Would you suppose,” asked he, “that these large oaks, that cover so much ground, and form the glory of the forest, all sprung from acorns no larger than these?”
“It is very wonderful,” said Arthur. “Pray, sir, are they long growing?”
Mr. Mansfield. An oak seldom comes to perfection in less than two hundred years, and they will sometimes live four or five hundred. Our English oaks are particularly esteemed, but they are much fewer in number than they once were. In ancient times, before there were so many inhabitants, and when cultivation was little attended to, almost the whole island was but one forest. It has been cleared by degrees, however, and converted into corn and pasture land; and we have only now a few forests of any size. In consequence of this, oak timber is much scarcer than it used to be. If you go into old houses, that were built two or three centuries ago, you will see nothing but oaken floors and oaken wainscots. Now the case is altered, and people are obliged to be contented with wood of a very inferior quality. Deal, for instance, is much used for the purposes I have mentioned.
Charles. Are there any deal trees in this forest, grandpapa?