their markets at the present day. Olivier, who some time since visited these countries, has ascertained the fact. Michaux says, that at Bagdad he eat the best acorns, that grew in Mesopotamia and Curdistan; they are as thick and as long as a man's finger; he also tasted of those which are eaten in Spain, and they appeared to be rather sweet. Desfontaines makes mention, in the Memoires of the Academy of Sciences, of the acorns of the Quercus ballota being good for eating. Michaux's object at present is to speak of the value of the oak as universally employed, and to make known the different species, which he observed in North America.

The oak grows naturally in every part of the temperate zone, in Europe, Asia, America, and even in Africa-its cultivation requires particular attention, transplanting, engrafting, and other means of reproduction, not being always favourable. Nature has particularly fitted the oak for

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large forests; it there towers with imperial dignity over every other vegetable, and supplies animals of different kinds with abundant food. In Europe, the stag, the roebuck, and the wild boar live during the winter entirely on the acorns, which they meet with in the woods- in Asia, pheasants and many of the feathered tribe share them with the fawns-in North America, the bear, the squirrel, the pidgeon, the wild turkey, &c. seek with much industry for the acorn, and it has been observed that many species of animals of the continent of America, after having consumed the acorns of one territory, migrated in innumerable flocks into other countries, where the acorns were to be met with in greater abundance.

The oak, of all other trees, is that whose timber is employed the most, generally and usefully-it serves for building ships, houses, instruments for the various purposes of agriculture, &c.--it affords sub

stances