38 Native Trees of Kentvckv 



C. BIRCHES GENUS BETULA. 



There are three species native in Kentucky : 



a. Water Birch- Betula nigra. 



b. Yellow or Gray Birch Betula lutea. 



c. Black Birch Betula lenta. 



The Birches are trees of singular beauty because of , their 

 graceful branches, their tattered bark, and delicate leaf spray. 

 They grow rapidly from seed, are easily transplanted and flourish 

 best in the forests when associated with other trees. 



The young bark of all Birches is conspicuously marked with 

 horizontal slits or lenticels, frequently separating into thin, papery 

 plates. The wood, often called American Mahogany, is close- 

 grained, hard, tough, and capable of a fine satiny finish. 



Because of the richness of its color and the beauty of its grain, 

 the Birch industry has been highly developed for house trimmings, 

 especially for floors and doors. The hardness of the wood makes 

 it of great service in boat construction, and in the manufacture 

 of ox-yokes, tools and hubs. 



Curly growth in Birch commands a high price in the veneer 

 factories. The curl runs lengthwise of the tree, making the fig- 

 ures of a different type from those of Tulip Trees or Ash. 



