required to reach a diameter of three feet. It ie much used for ship-build- 

 ing, both for timbers and planks, and is not liable to attack by the borer. 

 It is extensively exported as ton timber and is much used by cabinet- 

 makers and turners. It is liable to warp and shrink, but when well 

 seasoned is a useful and beautiful wood for cabinet work. The young 

 trees come up in thick groves and are universally used to make barrel 

 hoops, a large branch of the industry of the country. Cart and waggon 

 wheels as also the frames of waggons and carts are made from it. Ash 

 or oak would be superior for many purposes to birch, but these are not so 

 plentiful, consequently the wood is dearer. Black birch grows on good 

 land, and is said to enrich the land it grows upon. The bark is often 

 tised to tan leather, but is inferior for that purpose to hemlock or oak. 



WHITE CANOE or PAPER BIRCH. This tree is of little value. The white 

 stem is very pretty to look at among other trees with dark stems. The 

 outer bark is of great value to the Indians they make their canoes from 

 this bark sewed on to a light frame made from laths. They also manu- 

 facture handsome baskets and boxes, chair bottoms, &c., ornamented 

 with porcupine quills dyed of various colours. 



AMERICAN or WHITE ELM. There is only one species of the elm in this 

 Province, and only found on the best soils, viz.. on river or brook inter- 

 vales, or low uplands with a deep rich soil. It is now a scarce tree, as 

 heretofore it has been much sought after for ship-building, &c. It is easily 

 transplanted, grows rapidly and to a great size. The American elm 

 effects many different shapes, and all of them beautiful. Fine specimens 

 may be seen about Windsor, at Kentville, and on many of the rivers to 

 the east of Halifax, and on the Marguerite and Mabou rivers in Cape 

 Breton. For beauty and grace of outline, whatever form it may assume, 

 there is no other tree in the province at all to compare with it. It is 

 found from three to five feet diameter, and seventy to ninety feet high. 

 The wood is firm and solid and is highly esteemed for ship-building and 

 other purposes. The bark is tough and strong and heretofore has been 

 used for making ropes and chair bottoms. It makes good fuel and the 

 ashes will yield more potash by 300 per cent than any other of the hard 

 woods of this province. 



WILD or INDIAN PEAR. This is a species of medlar (Mespilus) ; it seldom 

 exceeds 6 inches diameter. It grows most commonly on barren land 

 near the water. It is a remarkable flowering tree, and bears very good 

 fruit about the size of cherries ; it is, however, very frequently blasted. 

 The wood is very hard and smooth, and is sometimes used for axe 

 helves. 



HORNBEAM. This tree grows only upon good lands ; it is a small tree- 

 seldom exceeds 8 to 10 inches diameter. It is the hardest and strongest 

 wood we hava It is heavier than water, and sinks in a swift-running 

 stream. It is easily distinguished from the English hornbeam ; is well 

 adapted to make levers, rake teeth, cogs in mill wheels, cart stakes 

 binding poles, &c. ; also highly esteemed for axe handles. 



