66 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



the tops of the plants to dry when the 

 soil is frozen so that the plants cannot 

 take up water. The preventive measures 

 most used consist of a light straw 

 mulch on the beds and windbreaks. 



The tops of plants affected by the 

 mulch-blight die in winter. This hap- 

 pens while the mulch is still on or oc- 

 casionally just after it is removed. The 

 roots do not die till sometime after the 

 tops. The immediate cause of death is 

 unknown. The disease may be pre- 

 vented by avoidance of heavy, close 

 mulches. Spraying with Bordeaux mix- 

 ture just before the beds are mulched 

 in the fall may also be of value. 



There are a number of needle-de- 

 stroying fungi, some of which are cer- 



tain sooner or later to cause damage 

 in the nurseries in the more moist parts 

 of the United States. They have so 

 far done little damage in our nurseries, 

 and have been little studied. Spraying 

 with Bordeaux mixture at the proper 

 time will presumably prevent damage 

 from any of them. The proper times 

 for spraying have not yet been deter- 

 mined. The importation of European 

 stock should be discouraged in order 

 to avoid bringing parasites which have 

 not yet reached this country. 



A great deal of blight occurs in red 

 cedar seedlings and transplants. The 

 cause and methods of prevention are 

 unknown. Shading, watering and fre- 

 quent spraying should be tested. 



MANY USES FOR BIRCH 



FR( )M furnishing material for a go. The French explorers and mission- 

 canoe in which to hunt whales aries made journeys of hundreds of 

 some hundred-odd years ago to miles in these canoes, often carrying 

 supplying New England factories cargoes which would seem beyond the 

 of today with 11,000 cords of wood capacity of such frail vessels, 

 annually for shoe pegs and shanks is, The range of uses to which l)irch 

 according to the Department of Agri- wood is put is surprisingly large. The 

 culture, only part of the services the articles into which it goes range from 

 birch tree has rendered and is render- church pews to kitchen tables, and from 

 ing the people of America. organ pipes to newel posts. We may 



Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the de- have our first sleep in a birch crib and 



partment states in a bulletin on the uses our last in a birch coffin. The spools 



of birch, hunted whales in a birch-bark on which we get our cotton and silk 



canoe. The animals were found at thread are birch spools, and tlie lasts 



the mouth of the Mackenzie River, on which our shoes are made are 



He failed to strike the game, and con- likely to l)e l)irch lasts. The largest of 



eluded that it was probably for the the spools hold 12,000 vards. the small - 



best. While the canoes are frail, it is est 20 yards. Tlie wood's l^eauty, 



pointed out that the bark of which they strength, and rigidity make it promi- 



are made resists decay longer than any nent as a material for musical instru- 



other part of the tree. ments, and the same Qualities bring it 



It would be difficult to estimate the into extensive use for flooring, 

 value of the service of the birch-bark Many people have an idea that shoe 

 canoe in the discovery, exploration, de- i^cgs have nearly passed out of use, 

 velopment. and settlement of the north- l)Ut the amount of birch previously 

 ern part of this continent. From the mentioned as made into pegs and 

 Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes, and shanks yearly in New England seems 

 southward, for a century and a half, to disprove this notion. Birch, the de- 

 that light but exceedingly strong and partment says, is often put on the mar- 

 serviceable vessel threaded the lakes ket in imitation of other woods, and 

 and rivers, bearing trade and carrying we mav open many a door, sit on many 

 civilization where no other boat could a chair, and write on manv a desk 



