34 



THE WOODLANDS. 



the birch occupies in our southern woods is as a 

 coppice-wood, or mixed with firs as a cover for 

 game. 



The slender twigs of the birch are used for brooms 

 and another purpose too obvious to juveniles to need 



LEAF AND FLOWER OF THE BIRCH. 



mention. In early Rome the lictors had their fasces 

 made of the branches of this tree. 



The bark of the birch readily separates into thin 

 papery layers, so that in early times it was employed 

 for writing upon. The books which Numa com- 

 posed (700 B.C.) were written on birch bark. 



The sugary sap of the birch as it rises in March is 

 collected in some northern countries of Europe and 

 converted into wine. Loudon states that a birch has 

 been known to yield in the course of one season a 

 quantity of sap equal to its own weight. During 



