The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-06-26

The trees are evergreen, resem-
bling somewhat the live-oak; they
are of slow growth, and very long
| lived. Spain is the home of the
cork oak, but the largest tree known
grows in England. Besides the
cork, this tree produces enormous
acorns, which are fine food tor stock,
and, when roasted, are much relished
by the Spaniards. Spanish Black is
simply the charred black of this tree.
There is no reason why this tree may
not be proGta6ly grown in any part
of the United States"
The writer should have said in
any part where the live oak will
flourish. Il would not succeed at
the North. He could have added
that the mast gives peculiar and
delicate taste TO the lard of hogs fed
upon it.
| I had said to Judge Watts that
two trees at least were in honrishing
health at Orsngeburgh, S. c., and he
asks "The Department would like
to hear further of the success of the
two trees in Orangeburgh, s. c., that
you mentioned in your letter.
Respectfully,
FREDERICK WATTS,
Commissioner.
Accordingly / forwarded to the
Department the following copy of
letter from Judge Thomas w. Glo-
yer, of Orangeburgh, S. G. Under
date of December 81, 1875, he says
about twenty four years ago I
planted six acorns of the cork tree.
All germinated, but grew slowly, as
the soil was barren, and the location
exposed them to the sun. They
were not cared for; but wishing to
test their adaptation to our climate,
after four or five years l removed
them to a more favorable soil, and
where they enjoyed the shade of
house. Since their removal the trees
advanced in height and increased in
diameter. My trees are about TWEEN
" feet high, and thirty-One inches
IN circumference, and nineteen inches
at five feet from the ground. The
leaf resembles that of the live oak,
but the branches are not so extend
ed. My trees have never yet borne
any scorns. l am satisfied that the
tree can be successfully cultivated
here. / enclose pieces of bark"
All this is satisfactory and to the
point. The specimens of the bark
no one can mistake; they are of
cork. Specimens were shown)
We come now to the facts of Eu-
ropean cultivation, and will give pres
emily few particulars from Michaux,
and the exhaustive account of that
expounder of botanical matters, Lou
don, in his great work, the Aboret4na
Bri3a'aic,trn AS long ago as 1S45
visited one of the largest cork trees
in the world, at Ham House, Eng
land, which was planted by DR.. Foth-
ergill, and is still in tolerable condi-
ton, not having ever been stripped.
l have taken pains since to examine
single trees in various parts of Italy,
especially at Isola Bella in Lake |
Come, one of the Roromean isles, |
where the Quercus su6er fourishes |
admirably alongside of the camphor,
and many botanical curiosities / have
rarely met with elsewhere"
AYE be planting, Jock" applies |
emphatically to our America. Sup
pose that at The Revolution in l776 |
every member of Congress from the
South had planted only a peck of |
cork tree acornsl Would we not |
bless every "signer" and his mem |
ory for his forethought? Suppose
we try the experiment in 1877, and |
record the names of our patriotic
cork men.
Let us see now what Michaux and
Loudon say. Taking the first author
lty and condensing his information
we find that
The cork grows naturally in the
southern parts of France, in Spain,
Portugal, Italy, and the States of
Barbary, which are comprised be.
tween the 44th and 35th degrees of
latitude; that it rarely exceeds forty
Ieet in height and three feet in diam
eter. (The trees already mentioned
as growing in South Carolina are