124 ' CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



the bark is much hke that of the canoe birch, 

 but It cannot be spHt into thi.i plates like that, 

 and of course, from the smallness of the tree, 

 such large sheets can never be got from it ; 

 in other respects these twc kinds are very- 

 much alike. 



" The red birch, again, is still more of a 

 southern tree ; it is seldom found north of 

 New- Jersey, and in Maryland, Virginia, the 

 Carolinas, and Georgia, it is quite common. 

 It grows as large as the canoe birch ; the 

 leaves are of a lighter green, and the fruit has 

 more of a reddish cast" 



" Ah, that is why they call it red birch, then, 

 I suppose ?" 



" No ; it has its name f;om the outer bark, 

 which is quite red, and not white, like that of 

 the canoe birch ; it is much coarser, too, and 

 rougher : the inner bark is thick, rough, and 

 of a greenish colour." 



" And can they make canoes and things of 

 it, Uncle Philip ?" 



" No, it is neither so flexible, nor so tough 

 as that of the canoe birch. The wood is 

 better, however ; it is white, with fine red 

 streaks rnnning through it lengthwise. In 

 Virginia and Carolina they mate bowls anc 



