May Character of Birch. 157 



stems, so brilliant in wintry sunshine, are now greatly 

 overshadowed by their foliage. Nothing can be more 

 decided than the character of the birch, and the leaves 

 add to its expression. In winter it is simply the most 

 graceful of trees, but in summer it seems nervously 

 sensitive and easily disquieted. The slightest breath 

 of air sets it all in a flutter, and it has the appearance 

 of the extremest delicacy of temperament. However, 

 in this case, as in some human constitutions, the ap- 

 pearance of delicacy is in the highest degree deceptive, 

 for the birch is gifted with singular powers of resist- 

 ance. I do not believe that a tree can be mentioned 

 which bears so well the extremes of heat and cold. It 

 lives high on the sides of the Alps and thrives in the 

 terrible Lapland winter. The last trees near the polar 

 ice are birches, and yet at the same time the birch lives 

 uninjured through the burning summers of Burgundy, 

 and does not apparently suffer from a temperature that 

 ripens the grape, the peach, and the apricot. The bark, 

 too, that looks so fragile on account of its thin white 

 opiderm, so easily torn and never without a rent, is 

 jeally of considerable thickness, and quite remarkable 

 amongst vegetable substances for its all but unlimited 

 durability. The tree is respectable for its uses, espe- 

 cially for the uses of the bark, out of which the ingen- 

 ious northern races have contrived to make many 

 different things, including canoes, ropes, roofs, drinking- 

 vessels, shoes, and even food, whilst that product of 

 high civilization called Russia leather is tanned with it. 

 The abundant sap is good to drink, and an alcoholic 



