1.The oak is one of the finest and most useful of all our forest trees.Its height sometimes exceeds②sixty feet，while the girth，or distance round the trunk，is often more than twenty feet.Its roots extend under the ground around the tree nearly as far as its branches extend above ground，so that an oak-tree is very seldom blown down by the wind.
2.It is easy to know the oak from all other trees by the size and shape of its leaves，which are oblong③，about three or four inches in length，and have irregular④edges.Each leaf has a short stalk；and if you hold a leaf up to the light，you will see that it is net-veined-that is，its veins cross each other，and are not parallel⑤like those of the leaves of grasses，or of the snowdrop or hyacinth.
3.As winter approaches⑥，the leaves turn brown and drop offthe oak-tree.When the tree is bare，we can see its rough，rugged⑦bark and its large twisted branches.
①Sturdy，hardy；very strong.
②Exceeds，goes beyond；is greater than.
③Oblong，longer than broad.
④Irregular，uneven.
⑤Parallel，running in the same direction.
⑥Approaches，draws near.
⑦Rugged，rough；uneven.
OAK LEAVES AND ACORNS
（橡树叶子与橡子）
4.In the spring the leaves grow again，and in April or May little clusters of small greenish flowers appear.Soon the flowers drop off，and the fruit takes their place.The fruit of the oak is a small brown nut，which is called an acorn.
5.Each acorn grows in a little
cup.If we take the acorn out of its cup and soak it in warm water for a few hours，it will split open，and we shall see that it consists of two thick seed-leaves，very much like those of the bean，having a tiny plant between them.
6.The oak lives to a great age.There are a few oak-trees in Britain which are believed to be more than five hundred years old.But if the wood of the oak is to be used as timber，the tree should be cut down when it is from sixty to one hundred years of age.
7.Every year the stem of the oak-tree becomes a little thicker，for a new layer of wood grows all round it just under the bark.When the tree is cut down，you can see a series①of rings in thewood extending from the centre of the trunk to the bark.Each of these rings marks one year‘s growth，so that they show how old the tree is.
8.The wood of the oak is very hard，strong，and durable②.Oakwas formerly③much used for building ships，but most ships are now built of iron or steel.This wood is，however，still much used for furniture，and for the strong beams of roofs.The bark of the oak is used in tanning，as you have learned in the lesson on leather.
9.Would you not like to grow a little oak-tree for yourself？If so，you must take an acorn out of its cup，and hang it point downwards from a strip of wood placed across the top of a wide-mouthed bottle，or a pickle-glass，or a tumbler，half full of water.
10.The point of the acorn should barely touch the top of the water；and you must add a little water from time to time to keep the liquid up to this mark.It is best to hang up the acorn by threads of cotton.Keep the glass in the dark till the acorn begins to sprout，and then you may place it on your mantel-piece and watch it slowly change into a little oak-tree.
