1 82 ©cciouous Hrees. 



fine varieties, such as red-leaved birch (7?. alba purpurea), 

 with coppery foliage; the cut-leaved birch (B.a.DalecarUca), 

 with slender branches and laciniated leaves ; and the weep- 

 ing birch (B. a. penduld), one of the most beautiful lawn 

 trees. The white birch forms immense forests abounding 

 in a rich herbaceous flora. The American white birch 

 (B. pop td if oil a) does not differ greatly from the common 

 white birch, except in having a stiffer and less elegant 

 habit. The paper birch (JB.papyracea) has beautiful white 

 bark, which peels off in layers. It is almost similar in 

 habit to some varieties of the white birch, but the leaves 

 are broader and more heart-shaped. On the shores of 

 rivers, often growing in the water itself, the picturesque 

 river birch (B. nigra?) is frequently seen in the Northern 

 States. The cherry birch (B. lento) has denser crowns 

 than any of the preceding kinds. The spray is horizontal, 

 almost beech-like, and the globular crowns and grayish 

 stems make it resemble a small beech at a distance. The 

 bark is brownish gray, resembling that of a cherry-tree. 

 This species and the white birch are the most valuable from 

 an ornamental point of view. Birches are fine trees for 

 planting in masses in groves and copses, and where it is de- 

 sired to introduce woodland scenery birch and oak should 

 be the principal trees, as their light foliage will allow a 

 luxurious growth of grass and flowers. 



Alder, Al/nus.— The alder grows in moist places in 

 meadows and on river shores. It has a tall elliptical crown, 

 grayish stems, and oval or ovate leaves. The common 

 forms are not very ornamental, but they are excellent for 

 very low and wet ground. The cut-leaved Alder (Alnus 



