an old nest, often observable in the branches of 

 the birch, is caused by a very minute gall, one 

 of the genus phytopiis. 



The birch is not a long-lived tree, and seldom 

 attains a height of more than fifty feet. It has 

 great power of occupancy, being well able to 

 hold its own in the densest woodland. A native 

 of Great Britain and the Northern hemisphere, it 

 is very hardy. Upon this fa6l one writer states : 

 " In Lapland the line of the birch is barely two 

 " thousand feet below that of eternal snow, and 

 " eight hundred feet above that of pinus sylvestris. 

 " It abounds in Russia, Sweden, and Norway, 

 " and is also found in Iceland ; in fa6l, its limits 

 " in Europe may be said to be bounded only by 

 " vegetation itself." 



The wood, light in colour, shaded with red, is 

 not extensively used, except by carriage builders. 

 As coppice wood it is not so valuable as ash, 

 hazel, or sweet chesnut. The tree is propagated 

 by seed. 



In prehistoric days it is said that " the natives 

 " made their canoes, their ropes, and even the 

 " roofs of their shanties, from the birch tree, and 

 " probably civilisation was not very far advanced 

 " before the tree was tapped, on the discovery 

 " that its copious flow of sap formed a beverage 

 " that had the reputation of being both refreshing 

 " and wholesome." 



