FOKEST TREES. 205 



land states, and northern regions generally, are congenial 

 to the growth of this vegetable, where it is more common 

 than in countries farther south. As maples, elms and 

 beeches increase, birches diminish both in number and 

 size. The forty fifth degree of latitude is the northern 

 limit of this genus of forest trees in Europe : in this 

 country it is found in latitudes considerably farther south, 

 though here, it is seldom found in Virginia, and never in 

 the more southern states. 



Seven species of birch have been discovered in Ame- 

 rican forests, and about the same number in those of 

 Europe. Among these species, there is a less variety 

 than in some other trees ; though they differ considerably 

 in their size, and more or less in the qualities of their 

 timber. 



The Canoe Birch is the most common tree of this 

 genus in Canada, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire and Vermont ; but it is not known in the southern 

 part of Connecticut, nor in New York, south of Albany. 



This tree grows to the height of seventy feet, and 

 three feet in diameter. The wood has a fine glossy 

 grain, and considerable strength, but soon decays when 

 exposed to the weather. It is much used in cabinet 

 work, for many articles in which it is a beautiful ma- 

 terial. 



On trees not more than six or eight inches in diameter, 

 the bark is perfectly white, like that of the white birch of 

 Europe, and like that, too, it appears to be almost inde- 

 structible. This bark is applied to various uses, some of 

 which are important. It is sometimes placed beneath 

 the shingles on the roofs of houses ; baskets, boxes and 

 port-folios are made of it, and embroidered with silk ; 

 it has been used as a substitute for paper, and is some- 

 times placed between the soles of shoes, and in the 

 crowns of hats, as a protection against moisture. 



The most important use to which the bark of birch is 

 applied, is in the conslruction of canoes, from which this 

 tree derives its name. The bark is removed from the 

 tree in the spring, in strips from two to nine inches 

 wide, and ten or twelve feet long. These strips are 

 stitched together by the fibrous roots of the white spruce. 



