ENGLISH FARMERS. 53 



will doubtless develop. Beet-sugar, for example, now 

 that sugar-making machinery is so much cheaper, 

 might be managed very easily by those disposed to go 

 a little out of their way, in order to make the business 

 of farming more remunerative. Even in planting, by 

 ~a little attention, very remunerative results could be 

 secured by growing handsome sticks for umbrellas, 

 parasols, etc., for which there is always a large 

 demand. I merely throw the idea out at random ; 

 but having observed, in certain instances, curiously- 

 marked specimens of growth, which have arisen from 

 an ash plant having been embraced, and bound round 

 tightly with the wild white convolvulus, which has 

 been marked in consequence in a curious manner, it 

 would be possible to create such marks in places or 

 positions where they might be wanted, by tying 

 strings around them. Pliable stems might also be 

 trained into any shape which they might be needed 

 to grow in. 



The beech is thought to be a native of Britain. 



The Birch. There are two varieties of the birch 

 indigenous to this country, Betula alba, and B. a. pcn- 

 dula, the latter being by far the most ornamental. 

 The birch is generally classed and associated with the 

 broad-leaved trees, as rejecting on the one hand an 

 elevated situation, and vigorous climate, and on the 

 other, a very low one, where an undue degree of 

 moisture prevails, though in reality it is very hardy, 

 and only one or two other trees approach so near to 

 the North Pole, the fact being that it adapts itself to 

 a wider range of soil and situation than most oil- 

 plants. It often springs up and becomes the successor 

 <of the Scotch pine, the exnvicz of which is hostile to 



