THE BIRCH AND THE ALDER. 147 



ing myriads of little flat and seed-like fruits, every- 

 one of which is provided with lateral wings. The 

 fruits of the alders, on the other hand, are wingless. 

 Besides this, in the alders many female catkins 

 stand side by side, or at all events near together, 

 the peduncle being branched ; while in the birches 

 the female catkins are always solitary. Altogether, 

 there are of these interesting trees some sixty or 

 seventy species. They grow in the woods and upon 

 the mountains of Europe, northern Asia, and the 

 Himalayahs, extending to Peru and Columbia, and 

 even into the antarctic regions, where, however, as in 

 the extreme north, they become reduced to the 

 condition of diminutive shrubs. Three species are 

 indigenous to Great Britain the common or silver 

 birch, the dwarf birch, and the common alder. The 

 first and last, like most of the race, are esteemed for 

 their pictorial effect in landscape ; the dwarf birch 

 is interesting on account of its littleness, the leaves 

 being no larger than silver pennies. * Alders prefer 

 wet soil, whence they are frequent adjuncts of the 

 stream and river- side ; birches prefer ground that is 

 dry, and hence become a great embellishment of 

 declivities and hill-sides, as well known to all who 

 have stood face to face with the grandeur of the 



* Under special circumstances, the dwarf birch will reach 

 the height of twenty feet, but it never becomes a tree in 

 substance. 



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