The Blue Beeches 



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but derives its name from the fact that its bark resembles that of a beech. 



It is a small tree, ordinarily 15 to 20 ft. in height and 4 to 8 in. in diameter. 

 It is frequently an unshapely, bushy tree with a leaning trunk. The crown is flat- 

 tened and composed of long branches of irregular growth and many fine, supple, 

 drooping twigs which are arranged in a flat, spreading spray. The bark of the 

 trunk is smooth and close-fitting, and resembles that of the beech, except that it is 

 a darker or bluish grey. The trunk is often swollen in ridges or fluted. 



The leaves are 2 to 4 in. long, ovate-oblong in shape, margins unevenly toothed 

 and coarse in texture. The stems are about J^ in. long. 



The fruit is in the form of a tiny nutlet. These occur in pairs and are attached 

 to three-lobed, leaf -like wings. 



The character of its bark and the fact that it is found growing in the shade of 

 other hardwoods are the only points in which it resembles the true beech. The 

 winter buds, leaves, and fruit are quite different and any of these would enable 

 these two trees to be distinguished. 



The wood is used locally on account of its hardness and toughness, but it does 

 not reach a size to make it commercially important. It is used with other hard- 

 woods in wood distillation. 



