Cork is the external bark of a species of oak (Quercus suber) which grows in Spain, Portugal, and other southern parts of Europe and in the north of Africa, and is distinguished by the great thickness and sponginess of its bark, and by the leaves being evergreen, rectangular, somewhat oval, downy underneath, and waved. The outer bark falls off of itself if left alone, but for commercial purposes it is stripped off when judged sufficiently matured, this being when the tree has reached the age of from fifteen to thirty years. The first stripping yields the coarsest kind of bark. In the course of eight or nine years, or even less, the same tree will yield another supply of cork of better quality, and the removal of this outer bark is said to be beneficial, the trees thus stripped reaching the age of 150 years or more. The bark is removed by a kind of axe, parallel cuts being carried round the tree transversely and united by others in a longitudinal direction, so as to produce rectangular sheets of bark. These vary in thickness between 2 mm and 7 mm. Care must be taken not to cut into the inner bark, or the tree would be killed. The pieces of cork are flattened out by heat or by weights, and are slightly charred on the surface to close the pores.
Cork is light, elastic, impervious to water, and by pressure can be greatly reduced in bulk, returning again to its original size. These qualities render it peculiarly serviceable for the stopping of vessels of different kinds, and formerly for floats, buoys, swimming-belts or jackets, artificial limbs, etc. Corks for bottles are cut either by hand or by means of a machine. The best corks are cut across the grain. Research Cork
The beech is a deciduous, shallow-rooted forest tree of the genus Fagus, family Fagaceae, natural order Cupuliferae, native to the northern hemisphere and well known in various parts of the world including New Zealand. The Fagus sylratica, a common European forest-tree, sometimes reaches a height of 35 meters, with a diameter of one or more, is known by its waved and somewhat oval leaves, its triangular fruit inclosed by pairs in a prickly husk, and by its smooth and silvery bark. The wood is hard and brittle, and if exposed to the air liable soon to decay. It is, however, peculiarly useful to cabinet-makers and turners, carpenters' planes, furniture, sabots, etc, being made of it; and it is durable under water for piles and mill-sluices.
The fruit or beech-mast, when dried and powdered, may be made into a wholesome bread; it has also occasionally been roasted and used as a substitute for coffee, and yields a sweet and palatable oil used by the poorer of Silesia instead of butter. Beech-mast is, however, chiefly used as food for swine, poultry, and other animals. The leaves of the beech-tree collected in the autumn, before they have been injured by the frosts, have in some places in the past been used to stuff mattresses. Young beech trees keep their dead leaves, and are often used as hedges.
The North American white beech is identical with the European species. Red-leaved varieties are now common, the American Fagus ferruginea being of this colour. Research Beech
The Waved Black (Parascotia fuliginaria) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 18 and 28 mm found in temperate Europe. A single generation is produced flying from June to September. The caterpillar feeds on lichens, mushrooms and rotting wood. Research Waved Black
Tabby (or tabbinet) is a kind of wavedsilk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendaring. Research Tabby
Abbreviations
Research Cork
