references to oak at specific locations are the comment of Bain (1890) that "there was once a large red oak forest at Tracadie”, Bain’s use of the word ’once' indicating that the forest had long been cut down49°, and Watson's (post 1904) record of it at Searletown, Kensington, North River and in Charlottetown Royalty West.491 Tree size — There are only three qualitative comments on the size of red oak trees in the records: Samuel Holland reported the island’s oak not to be "of large growth"“92. However, Curtis (1776) found the ”few oaks” at the New London settlement to be "of a considerable size" (he had described the other hardwood trees as ”very large”). However, almost a century later Sutherland (1861) noted that the island's oak was a ”small species”. The discrepancy between the two latter records may be due to the removal of the larger trees in the intervening eighty—five years. Habitat and community relationships — Red oak was considered to be an element of the upland hardwood forest by Bain (1890), while Sutherland (1861) said that it was found ”on some of the higher ridges". However, many records suggest that it was only a minor component in such forests.493 The only evidence that it may have occurred in some areas as single species stands is the retrospective comment of Bain (1890) on the oak forest at Tracadie, which, as noted, is supported by an earlier French period record.494 other side of the Hillsborough River in Lot 48 where he and his sons obtained most of their wood and fuel needs. It may thus have been in woods within easy reach of Charlottetown. Chappell‘s phrasing suggests that oak was not easy to come by and required a special search. Incidentally, Walter Patterson (1770), the newly arrived British governor, left oak out of the list of trees occurring “on this part of the Island" — meaning the area around Charlottetown. noting rather the presence of “some oaks" “in other parts of the Island”. ‘90 Interestingly, this echoes a record from the French period: 158 years earlier, in 1732, Jacques de Pensens, the French commandant at Port La-Joie, had recorded that the six families located at Tracadie had had difficulties in clearing the land, covered as it was with large oak trees [couvert de gros bois de chéne] (see Sobey 2002, p. 53, 56.). Whether the oak trees of Pensens had survived beyond the French period to be cut down at a later date, or whether Bain himself had come across Pensens‘ comment in some historical source I do not know. Or the two comments may not even necessarily refer to the same oak wood. ‘9‘ For what it is worth, [Lawson] (1877-1878) records a curious reference to panel doors in a house in Belfast being made from oak that was believed to have been chopped down by “the old French“ and “preserved in the turf of swamps". ‘92 Holland 1765 (October). 493 See the comments above under General distribution and abundance and Specific areas. 494 See footnote 490. 210 Properties and uses — The island's red oak was in the unfortunate position of belonging to a tree genus for which — based on European attitudes — high standards were expected. However, in comparison with the European species of oak and the related white oak of North America, it failed to meet these standards.“5 Thus Stewart (1806) noted that the island’s red oak was inferior to white oak in quality; though he added that it ”is said to be of a superior quality to the same species on the neighbouring continent”. Similarly, MacGregor (1828) recorded the quality of the oak as ”indifferent”“95, a comment that is copied by Bouchette (1832), while Hill (1839) stated that the oak timber on the island was not "valuable" — though this may be a reflection of its general scarcity rather than being a comment on the quality of its wood. Only Bain (1890) described oak wood positively calling it ”the most durable of our hardwoods", a phrase of uncertain application. Despite the perceived inferiority of red oak it was regarded as a special wood by Benjamin Chappell, not only in the years after his arrival from England (he made a point of using oak for the 'frame’ on his child's grave at Elizabethtown in 1778), but also some twenty—five years later in Charlottetown, when he continued to seek out oak wood to use in his spinning wheels, especially between 1798 and 1804497. I also note that the author of The True Guide to Prince Edward Island (Anon. 1808), one of the many advice pamphlets for immigrants, in his citing of the price of hardwood on the island (17s. 6d. per ton), used ”oak, birch, &c.” as an indicator of the species available — but this may be more to cater for English tastes in hardwood (the pamphlet was printed in Liverpool) than being a reflection of the reality of the use or availability of oak on the island. Conclusion — The British period records reinforce the conclusion of my earlier French period study that red oak was only a minor component of the upland hardwood forests of Prince Edward Island.498 There is some evidence that it may have had a local abundance in a few areas, even occurring as single species stands in some areas. Initially the trees were likely to have been of a ‘95 See Albion 1926, p. 24. 496 In his 1832 book MacGregor down-graded this to “very inferior". ‘97 Chappell (1775-1818). ‘98 See Sobey 2002, pp, 135-36.