180 NOTES ON FOREST TREES. 



Carpinus caroliniana {Blue Beech) is not so common 

 but grows larger : a specimen was cut which was 10 inches 

 in diameter and 5 feet long. 



Cetula lenta {Black Birch) is rare. Among a few 

 trees in Belmont, one was cut from which was obtained a 

 specimen 2 feet 4 inches in diameter, 5 feet long. The 

 wood of this tree is very fine grained, dark colored and 

 very heavy : it is good timber for cabinet work, is remark- 

 ably stringy and very hard to split. 



Betula lutea ( Yellow Birch) is one of the largest trees 

 in the forests of Ellenburgh, Altona and Champlain town- 

 ships. The first tree of this species which was cut was 

 14 feet, 7 inches in circumference ; 12 inches in the cen- 

 tre w T ere hollow. Seven others nearly the same size were 

 cut into, but they were all partially decayed. 



The one from which a specimen was taken was 3 feet 

 in diameter and on the end of the log 300 circles of 

 growth were counted. The heart wood was as dark as 

 Black Cherry and quite as hard. These trees are often 

 70 feet high and 50 feet to the branches ; they make lit- 

 tle or no new growth on the ends of the branches, conse- 

 quently they have very few leaves. 



Betula papyracea {Canoe Birch) is equally abundant 

 near Malone, Belmont and Chateaugay, growing near 

 streams and in lowlands. The largest one found was 6 

 feet 7 inches in circumference : as we could not get per- 

 mission to cut this tree, it was necessary to get a smaller 

 one, which was 5 feet 11 inches in circumference, and on 

 which were counted 180 annual circles of growth. 

 This is a large size for this tree as 18 inches is the largest 

 diameter usually found and the bark is so much used by 

 wood-cutters for drinking cups, and parties of Canadian 

 Indians for baskets, that it is seldom one can find a perfect 

 tree. 



