14^ THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



what purpose I do not know. It has a singular appearance : 

 the bark is perfectly white, not glossy or silky as the common 

 Birch, but exactly like white paper, very smooth, but not 

 shining ; it readily peels in thin laminae, but does not look 

 so ragged as our tree. None that I saw were of large size, 

 not more than six inches in diameter. I observed it in 

 several other localities, usually on the slope of a hill, and 

 near water. 



C. — Is the timber of the birch applied to any useful 

 purpose ? 



F. — It is often sawed into planks for tables, and many 

 other articles of furniture, but is chiefly used as fuel, as it 

 bums readily even when green, and makes a hot fire. 



C — Is there any difference in this respect ? 



F, — Oh, yes ; very great difference. Some woods, such 

 as elm and the evergreens, especially hemlock, will scarcely 

 bum at all when gi-een, and when they do, make a very dull 

 fire, smouldering away without flame. Maple and beech 

 bum intensely, the former the most readily, and with the 

 most flame ; but the latter, when half consumed, gives out 

 the most intense heat, though there is little difference be- 

 tween these two. Birch ranks next, and then the ash, both 

 white and brown : basswood and poplar can scarcely be con- 

 sumed, except by gradual and slow smouldering, and that 

 with the help of other fuel. All wood burns well when 

 seasoned, or deprived of sap by drying. 



C. — To what purpose is the wood of the elm applied ? 



F. — When young, it is often cut and quartered ; that is, 

 split through the middle into four parts, which are laid by 

 to season. Few farmers have not a number of pieces of elm, 

 white ash, and leverwood by them, to be brought into use 

 whenever any small article is wanted, in which hardness 

 must be combined with toughness, such as ^xe-helves, 

 wheel-spokes, &c. When grown, it is not used for any- 



