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BEECH {Fagus grandifoUa Ehrh.) 



THE beech occurs throughout the State. It makes 

 its best growth, however, in the moist coves in 

 the mountains. It is widely found scattered with 

 oaks and hickories on rich, well-drained bottoms, 

 and in the mountains sometimes occurs in unmixed, 

 dense stands. It is one of the most beautiful of all 

 trees, either in summer or winter. 



The simple, oval leaves are 3 to 4 

 inches long, pointed at the tip, and 

 coarsely toothed along the margin. 



BEECH 



One-half natural size. 



When mature, they are almost leathery in texture. 

 The beech produces a dense shade. The winter buds 

 are long, slender and pointed. 



The bark is, perhaps, the most distinctive charac- 

 teristic, as it maintains an unbroken, light gray sur- 

 face throughout its life. So tempting is this smooth 

 expanse to the OAvner of a jackknife that the beech 

 lias been well designated the ''initial tree." 



The little, brown, three-sided beech nuts are 

 almost as well known as chestnuts. They form 

 usually in i)airs in a prickly burr. The kernel is 

 sweet and edible, but so small as to offer insufficient 

 reward for the pains of biting open the thin-shelled 

 husk. 



The wood of the beech is very hard, strong, and 

 tough, though it will not last long on exposure to 

 Aveather or in the soil. The tree is of no great eco- 

 nomic importance as a lumber tree, though the wood 

 is used to some extent for furniture, flooring, car- 

 penters' tools, and novelty w^ares. 



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