THE CUT-LEAVED WHITE BIRCH 



THE European Birch has been so largely planted in America that it is almost as 

 familiar to us as to the inhabitants of its native country, and even were it not 

 we could easily appreciate the fondness of the poets for it because of our own 

 delight in the matchless beauty of our native white birches, the Gray Birch and the Paper 

 White Birch. The horticultural form known as the Cut-leaved Weeping Birch is the variety 

 most commonly planted in America, and in consequence this has been chosen for illus- 

 tration in the plate. As will be seen, the play of light and shade on the trunk and larger 

 branches, together with the graceful curves of the pendent twigs, combine to give the tree 

 a most beautiful appearance even when the branches are bare in winter. 



This beauty is enhanced, however, to a wonderful degree in early spring, when the 

 tender green of the young leaves pushes out, and the slender, drooping, pollen-bearing 

 catkins develop on the ends of the twigs, and the still more slender, erect seed-bearing 

 catkins push up from the new branches along the sides of the twigs. These two sorts of 

 flowers are well shown in the upper left-hand picture of the plate, while just below is to be 

 seen a twig with a pair of pollen-bearing catkins in their winter condition. After the 

 pollen is shed the larger catkins drop off and the seed-bearing ones begin the development 

 of the seeds. These mature by autumn and are scattered throughout most of the winter 

 months, their form being well shown in the right-hand picture of the plate, in which also 

 may be seen the characteristic incised leaves with their long, slender stems and delicate 

 blades. 



This Birch is so thoroughly established as a favorite for ornamental planting that 

 there is no necessity of urging its claims. There is danger, rather, that it will be planted 

 so extensively that the variety and beauty which might be obtained by planting the native 

 Birches along with it will be lost. It certainly has many advantages as an ornamental 

 tree, not the least of which is that it may always be obtained from nurserymen in good 

 condition for transplanting. It is comparatively little injured by insects or fungus diseases, 

 is hardy, and grows quite rapidly, forming from the first an attractive tree. The technical 

 name of this variety is pendula laciniata: good nursery -grown trees are commonly offered 

 for sale at a dollar each. 



C113) 



