TREES OF AMERICA. 123 



or the pitch-pine, place seats in the inside, 

 and the canoe is complete, and ready to make 

 a voyage." 



" And how large do they make them, Uncle 

 Philip ?" 



" Sometimes large enough to carry fifteen 

 passengers with their baggage." 



" Well, Uncle Philip, I think that is a very 

 good way to make a boat, and a very cheap 

 way, too ; a man wants nothing but a hatchet, 

 and a large needle, and some sort of a brush 

 to put on the gum with. Does the canoe 

 birch grow all over the country, Uncle 

 Philip ?" 



" No ; it seems to be almost confined to the 

 northern portion of the continent ; it is very 

 plentifiil in Canada, and is found in con- 

 siderable quantities in Yermont, and New- 

 Hampshire, and Maine : farther south it is 

 quite rare. 



" The white birch is more common as far 

 south as New-York and Pennsylvania, but is 

 never found iu the Southern States ; it is not 

 very abunda?]t, however, anywhere. It is 

 much smalle: than the canoe birch, and the 

 wood decays much faster and sooner : it is 

 seldom or never used, not even for burning' 



