MASSACHUSETTS FOREST TREES 



YELLOW BIRCH (Betula lutea Michx. f.) 



THIS Birch is common throughout Massachusetts, 

 * inhabiting the low, rich woods and hillsides or 

 mountain slopes. 



It is the largest of the native birches and often 

 attains a height of fifty to sixty feet and a trunk 

 diameter of two to three feet. Usually 

 the trunk divides at a considerable dis- 

 tance from the ground, continuing in 

 two or three large limbs. The branches 

 are numerous and slender. In the woods 

 the head is small and irregular, while in 

 the open it is broad and round. 



The bark on the trunk is silvery -gray 

 or light orange in color and separates 

 into thin, persistent layers. On very old 

 trees the trunk is rough, gray or blackish 

 and without lustre. The young twigs are 

 light brown, lustrous and aromatic, but 

 to a less degree than those of the Sweet 

 Birch. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, egg- 

 shaped or approximately oblong, doubly 

 toothed, three to five inches long and 

 dark green and lustreless on the upper 

 surface. 



The flowers are in catkins . The winter 

 catkins are three to four in number and 

 not in clusters. 



The wood is heavy, strong, hard and 

 flexible. It istlsed in the making of 

 furniture, in the building of carriages, 

 for flooring and for fuel. 



When this species is in clear stands YELLOW 

 it should be thinned as soon as it gets 



i if i j Winter twig. One- 



large enough for use, as it is attacked half natural size 

 by a fungus which depreciates the value 

 of the stand for future results. This species takes on 

 a deep bronze when very old. 



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