Handbook of Tkees of the NoKTiii:i:.\ 



Ca.xai 



The Yellow Birch is a large and important 

 forest tree of the northeastern states and tlie 

 eastern provinces of Canada, sometimes at- 

 taining the heigiit of 100 ft. with trunk 3 or 

 4 ft. in diameter. When isolated it develops 

 a broad rounded top of many small straigiit- 

 ish branches. Its peculiar bark is its most 

 striking feature and distinguishes it from all 

 other trees of the forest. The bark on its 

 branches and smaller trunks is very smooth 

 and lustrous silvery or golden gray, breaking 

 finally as the trunk e.xpands and rolling back 

 in ribbon-like strips and curls, which long re- 

 main attached rustling with every passing 

 breeze. On very old trunks the character of 

 the bark is quite ditTerent. as it is there rougli 

 with irregular plate-like scales. It inhabits 

 rich moist uplands in company in our northern 

 forests with the Beech, Sugar and Red Maples, 

 Black and White Ash, White Elm, Hop Horn- 

 beam, etc. 



Its wood is hard and strong, a cubic foot, 

 when absolutely dry, weighing 40.84 lbs., and 

 is highly valued in the manufacture of agri- 

 cultural implements, wooden ware, etc., and 

 furniture, occasional " figured " trees being 

 especially valuable for the latter use. It is 

 also one of the best woods of its range for fuel.i 



Leaves ovate to ovate-oblong, 2-r> in. long, acute 

 or acuminate at apox. louiulfd. <)l)tuse or heart- 

 shaped at base, sliarply doubly serrate, silky 

 pubescent at tirst luit tinally jilabroiis dull green 

 above, paler and with silky bails on midrib and 

 prominent veins beneath ; petioles slender, liairy : 

 branehlets at first green and pilose piiliesceiit but 

 finally smooth. Flowers: staminale aments usually 

 in clusters of 2-4, 3-3^2 in. long wben fully ex- 

 panded ( %-l in. long in winter and % in. thick! 

 with rounded scales ; pistillate aments about % 

 in. long with acute pilose scales ; styles pink. 

 Fruit an erect, subsessile, pubescent oblon;; stro- 

 bile, 1-1 Vi in. long witb lobes of scales about 

 equal, ciliolate and slightly spreading witb obovate 

 nutlet about as broad as its wiugs. 



1. .\. W., I, 17. 



