122 SYLVA AMERICANA, 



of latitude, and between the 75th degree of west longitude and 

 the Atlantic ocean ; comprising Lower Canada, New Brunswick, 

 the state of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. It ceases 

 below the 43d degree of latitude, and is not found in the southern 

 part of Connecticut, nor below Albany, in the state of New York. 

 The soil in which this species of birch best flourishes, is fertile 

 and principally covered with large stones, overgrown with moss. 



The canoe birch attains its largest size, which is about 70 feet 

 in height and three feet in diameter, on the declivity of hills and 

 in the bottom of fertile valleys. Its branches are slender, flexible, 

 and covered with a shining, brown bark, dotted with white. 

 The leaves are borne by petioles four or five lines long, and are 

 of a middling size, oval, unequally denticulated, smooth, and of 

 a dark green color. The aments are pendulous, and about an 

 inch in length : the seeds are ripe towards the middle of July. 



The heart or perfect w T ood of this tree, when first laid open, 

 is of a reddish hue, and the sap is perfectly white. It has a fine, 

 glossy grain, with a considerable share of strength : that it is but 

 little employed is attributed partly to its speedy decay when 

 exposed to the succession of dryness and moisture, and partly to 

 the existence, in the countries which produce it, of several species 

 of wood , which are far preferable for the uses of the carpenter 

 and the wheelwright. It is sometimes employed by cabinet 

 makers for tables which are stained in imitation of mahogany. 

 A section of the trunk of this tree, one or two feet in length, 

 immediately below the first ramification, exhibits very elegant 

 undulations of the fibre, representing bunches of feathers or 

 sheaves of corn : these pieces are divided into thin jidates for 

 inlaying mahogany, and other embellishments in cabinet making. 

 The wood affords excellent fuel. On trees not exceeding eight 

 inches in diameter, the bark is of a brilliant white. This bark is 

 devoted to many uses : in the newly-settled parts of the countries 

 where it grows, the people place large pieces of it immediately 

 below the shingles of the roof of their houses ; baskets, boxes, 

 port folios, etc. are also made of it ; divided into very thin 

 sheets, it forms a substitute for paper. But the most important 

 purpose to which it is applied, and one in which it is replaced by 



