THE BIRCH. 



211 



make their carts, ploughs, harrows, gates, and fences, and 

 even manufacture ropes of it. The branches are employed 

 as fuel in the distillation of whisky ; the spray is used 

 for smoking hams and herrings, for which last purpose it 

 is preferred to every other kind of wood. The bark is 



DWARF BIRCH. 



used for tanning leather, and sometimes, when dried and 

 twisted into a rope, instead of candles. The spray is used 

 for thatching houses : and, dried in summer, with the leaves 

 on, makes a good bed where heath is scarce." LOUDOX. 



