Forest Trees and Shrubs of Meriden. Conn. 57 



36. BETULA NIGRA. (Linn.) 



Red Birch. River Birch. Black Birch. 



A small slender tree, though sometimes reaching from forty to 

 sixty feet in height. The young trees and branches have a smoothish 

 cinnamon-colored bark, the outer layers of old bark exfoliating in 

 thin laminae or sheets. Wood, light, rather hard, strong, close, 

 grained, and durable when not exposed to the weather. Valuable 

 as fuel, and used in the manufacture of furniture, woodenware, etc, 

 Specific gravity, 0.5792; ash, 0.35. 



37. BETULA PAPYRACEA. (Aiton.) 

 Canoe Birch. White Birch. Paper Birch. 



Does not grow to a large size in Meriden. It is closely allied 

 to the White Birch, B. populifolia, but a larger tree. Branches 

 slender and flexible, and the shining brown bark is dotted with white 

 and readily separates into thin paper-like layers. Said to be the 

 material of which tliC aborigines made their portable canoes, tents 

 and baskets. Specific gravity, 0.5762 ; ash, 0.35. 



38. BETULA ALBA. (Spach. ) VAR, B. POPULI- 

 FOLIA. (Marshall.) 



White Birch. Old-field Birch. Gray Birch. 



A small, short-lived tree of rapid growth, twenty or more feet 

 high, with a chalky-white bark, and numerous slender branches. 

 Wood, light and soft, close-grained, and liable to check in drying. 

 Largely used in the manufacture of shoe-pegs, spools, wood pulp 

 and charcoal. The bark and leaves are used medicinally. Oil is 

 obtained from the inner bark by distillation. Specific gravity, 

 0.5760 3 ash, 0.29. 



39. ALNUS SERRULATA. (Willdenou.) 



Common Alder. Black Alder. Smooth Alder. Can- 

 dle Alder. 



Grows in swampy, meadows, and along streams, from three to 

 ten or twelve feet high, and one-half to two inches in diameter. 

 Wood, light, soft and close-grained. Decoction of the bark and 

 leaves is used medicinally to purify the blood and for diarrhcta. 

 Specific gravity, 0.4656; ash, 0.38. 



