BEECH. 77 



for buttons and trimmed with a frill, the square ones be- 

 ing trimmed on all the sides. 



Blankets which are not in use should be kept closely- 

 folded in Russia sheeting, with bits of camphor, and put in 

 some cool, dark closet, or packed in camphor trunks, if such 

 are in the house. 



It is well, where it is convenient, to have the outside quilt 

 correspond in quality and color with the carpet and curtains, 

 and the general furniture of the room. Where bed-curtains 

 are hung, they are generally of the same material as the 

 outside coverlet. 



Stuffed coverlets, or poor man's blankets, as they are fre- 

 quently called, are made sometimes of soft lawn from dresses 

 that have been put aside, with a thin layer of all-wool wad- 

 ding, which comes now in sheets as cotton does. They are 

 inexpensive, and are often grateful to invalids when heavier 

 materials would be oppressive. I have seen a very nice 

 stuffed coverlet, made of a dozen large East India silk 

 pocket-handkerchiefs, each a yard square, filled with eider- 

 down ; both sides were alike, and the coverlet of a good size. 

 It was very light and very warm. Silk dresses, when laid 

 aside as dresses, make nice stuffed coverlets. 



BEECH (Fagus sylvatica). This tree is one of the 

 handsomest of England's forest-trees. It is native to the 

 greater part of the North of Europe. The red and purple 

 are seedling varieties of Fagus sylvatica. 



The Red Beech (Fagus ferruginea) decays when ex- 

 posed to the extremes of moisture and dryness. It does not 

 readily warp, and is much used for making tools, for which 

 its hardness and smooth grain recommend it. 



Beech mast, or the nuts and seeds of this tree, yield on 

 pressure an oil equal to the best olive-oil, and which keeps 

 without acquiring a rancid taste longer than olive-oil. In 

 7* 



