The Quercus virens.
1610. Ashe, Sarsafrase, liue Oake, green all the year.—‘True Declaration, Colony of Virginia,’ p. 22. (N.E.D.)
1775. A few spots of hammock or upland, are found on this island; these produce … a few trees of the live oak, and willow oak.—B. Romans, ‘Florida,’ p. 283.
1788. Capital ships have also been built at New York, and in the Chesapeak; and in South Carolina, of live oak, which is of much longer duration than any other timber whatever.—American Museum, iii. 441/1.
1788. There are on the Land a considerable Quantity of Live-Oak and Cedar.—Advt., Maryland Journal, Dec. 30.
1789. The almost exclusive possession of that invaluable tree called the Live Oak, which seems to have been ordained by Heaven for the sole use of the American navy.—Gazette of the U.S., N.Y., May 27.
1816. “A description of a Live Oak Tree upon Beaufort Island.”—letter from So. Carolina, Mass. Spy, March 20. [The trunk measured 32 ft. 5 inches around.]
1827. Gov. Burton said aside, “You’d have your match to set your teeth into this [cheese] any how; it is the real white oak.” Mr. Cambreleng caught the last words, and added, “You might have said live oak, Governor.”—Mass. Spy, June 27.
1837. Many of our naval officers are of opinion that the Carolina live oak is superior to the Florida, and much more durable.—Mr. Pinckney in the House of Representatives, Feb. 21: Cong. Globe, p. 195.
1847. [On the Brazos River] timber of various kinds abounds, among which the live oak is very common.—‘Life of Benjamin Lundy,’ p. 35 (Phila.).
1847. The towering and umbrageous evergreen live oaks gave an interesting aspect to the whole scenery.—Id., p. 101.
1857. The country was much more wooded than yesterday, frequent mottes of live-oak, coppices of mesquit, and forests of post-oak, diversifying the prairie.—Olmsted, ‘Journey through Texas,’ p. 238 (N.Y.).
1888. We pitched our tents on rolling ground in the vicinity of Austin, where we overlooked a pretty town of stuccoed houses that appeared summery in the midst of the live-oak’s perennial green.—Mrs. Custer, ‘Tenting on the Plains,’ p. 216.
