34 



Trees, Stars, and Birds 



U. S. Forest Service 

 FIG. 21. River birches. 



grow more rapidly than 

 seedlings of the spruce 

 or pine, and a forest of 

 birch and aspen grows 

 up in place of the ever- 

 green forest. 



Birch bark. The 

 yellow birch has yel- 

 lowish or silver-gray 

 bark which has an aro- 

 matic odor. The bark 

 of the white birch and 

 paper birch is creamy 

 or pinkish white and 

 splits into paperlike 

 layers. From birch 



bark the Indians made canoes, as well as boxes, buckets, 

 baskets, kettles, and dishes. In making their canoes, 

 they stitched together large plates of birch bark with 

 the fibrous roots of white spruce, coating the seams with 

 resin obtained from spruce and pine trees. If you can 

 get a piece of the bark, see into how many layers you 

 can split it. 



In parts of northern Europe the bark of the white 

 birch is used for shingles. Boats made from it are 

 used on the Volga River. From it are made birch 

 oil and birch tar. Russia leather has an aromatic 

 odor due to the oil of birch bark used in tanning it. 

 As the odor repels insects, this leather is valuable 

 for binding books. A few such bindings in a book- 

 case are a safeguard against insect enemies, and this 



