50 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



General Vieti) from La'k.e Cadillac of k. 



Birch. 



Ill hiJa li iild. 

 This tree is known as black birch, cherry 

 birch and sweet birch, and is one of the best 

 known and most liighly prized natives of the 

 northern forests. It is ronnd, with slender 

 branches and ranges from thirty to ninety 

 feet in height. Its bark is dark brown and 

 smooth wlien young, but rough as the tree- 

 grows old. The diameter is from two to four 

 feet in forest growth. The lieartwood is 

 dark lirown tiiiged with red. while the sa|i- 



\V(Kid has a yellow tone. Tlu' grain is tdose, 

 the structure compact, the wood heavy, strong 

 and hard, taking stain and high polish very 

 readily. Representative uses of birch are for' 

 furniture, interior tinish, door making, veneer 

 making, woodenware and flooring. A cubic 

 foot weighs about forty-seven pounds. 



Tlie northern portion of the lower penin- 

 sula of Michigan produces a high grade of 

 birch and northern flooring mak -rs have taken 

 it up as a standard material. Its fine com- 

 pact grain and rich cnhjr nnike it vrry d.esir- 



able for alternating with maple in fancy 

 floors. Today the <lcmand for selected, 

 strictly red birch flooring is in excess of the 

 supply, and such flooring commands a higher 

 price than any other made in the factories. 



Because of tlu' tine physical characteristics 

 and color of birch, and because it lends itself 

 readily to staining in imitation of mahogany, 

 it has become a great favorite with the fur 

 niture maker. Many a "mahogany" set of 

 the present ilay is nuiile largely of birch. 

 However, on acinuut of its greater strength 



Sail) Mill of Murphy O Diggins. 



Corner of Lumber Yard, Murphy 6 "Diggins. 



