MASSACHUSETTS FOREST TREES 



GRAY BIRCH (Betula populifolia Marsh.) 



THE Gray Birch grows abundantly in all parts of 

 ' the State, thriving on the poorest sandy soils, yet 

 by no means limiting itself to such unfavorable situa- 

 tions. This is the tree that is usually the first to take 

 possession of fields or pastures that have gone into 

 disuse, mingling with other plants of similar desires 

 or taking possession of many areas by itself. 



As commonly found, 

 it is a small, slender, 

 pyramidal tree, from 

 twenty to twenty-five 

 feet in height. The trunk 

 as a rule 

 ascends 

 obliquely. 

 Branches 

 are short, 

 slender and 

 often pen- 

 dulous and 

 clothe the 

 trunk to 

 the ground. 



The whole appearance of the tree is light 

 and airy. The bark on the trunk is grayish- 

 white and chalky on the outer surface and 

 orange on the inner. Unlike some of the 

 other birches, its bark does not easily sep- 

 arate into layers. The branches are black- 

 ish and the young shoots are brown. The 

 leaves are simple, alternate, triangular, GRAY BIRCH 

 long-pointed, two and one-half to four 

 inches in length, coarsely toothed and dark 

 green and glossy on the upper surface. 



The flowers are in catkins. The sterile ones appear 

 in the fall and are usually solitary. 



The wood is light, soft and not durable. It is used 

 in the manufacture of spools and shoe pegs and is 

 useful for summer fuel. The tree is chiefly valuable 

 for the rapidity with which it grows on poor soil. 



29 



GRAY BIRCH 



Leaves and fruit. One-third natural size. 



Winter twig 

 and buds. 

 One-half 



natural size. 



