BLACK BIRCH {Betula lenta L.) 



THE black birch, also known as sweet birch or 

 cherry birch, occurs only in the highlands and 

 mountain sections. It attains its best development 

 in the mountain coves and on rich slojjes where it 

 reaches an average height of 70 feet and a diameter 

 of 2 to 3 feet. The tree is moderately slow growing, 

 but is of value for its products and protection to the 

 soil in the high mouatains, 



BLACK BIRCH 



Twig, one-half natural size. Leaf, one-third natural size. 



The bark of the trunk is dark brown, almost 

 black, dull and broken into large irregular, but not 

 papery, plates. The small branches and twigs, also 

 dark in color but lustrous and very aromatic, are 

 frequently cut and distilled for the production of 

 birch oil, much used as wintergreen flavoring. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, oval or ap- 

 proaching oblong, 3 to 4 inches long, finely toothed 

 and dark green, dull on the upper surface. 



The flowers are of two kinds; the male catkins, 

 usually 3 to 4 on a shoot, forming in the summer and 

 blooming the following spring when the female cat- 

 kins or "cones" open from the winter buds. The 

 seeds ripen in late summer or autumn and fall with 

 the loosened scales of the "cone." 



The wood is heavy, very strong, hard and compact. 

 The dark-brown color of the wood has given rise to 

 the common local name of mahogany, or mountain 

 mahogany. It is used for furniture, often being 

 sold as "mahogany," and for flooring and interior 

 trimming ; locally it is prized as firewood. 



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