11-4 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



It is common from Newfoundland to the western shores of Lake 

 Superior and Kainy Lake, south through the northern states to 

 Delaware, and* southern Minnesota, and along the Appalachian 

 mountains to the high peaks of Xorth Carolina and Tennessee; 

 reaching its best development in southern Canada and the north- 

 eastern United States. 



In this State, where it attains a height of 80 to 90 and a diam- 

 eter of 2 to 3 feet it is confined to the high mountains, where, in 

 damp woods, it is not uncommon. (Fig- 30, p. 115.) 



Seed is produced abundant!} 7 every 2 or 3 years, and young 

 trees are common in damp shady woods at high elevations. It 

 grows rapidly when the light conditions are favorable. Speci- 

 mens over three feet in diameter are usually hollow. 



The leaves are elliptical or ovate, coarsely toothed, and hairy 

 on the midrib beneath. The male catkins are cylindrical and 

 pendulous ; the female short and nearly erect, which, when mature, 

 form an egg-shaped cone, 1? inches long, made up of stiff tough 

 3-lobed scales and containing winged seeds. The flowers 

 appear in early spring before the leaves. The prominent winter- 

 buds are smooth and conical. The undeveloped male catkins are 

 formed in the fall and are conspicuous during the winter. The 

 yellow birch has a tap-root, which usually forks and takes a lat- 

 eral direction, arid several strong lateral roots. 



The wood is heavy, very strong, hard, very close-grained, com- 

 pact ; light brown in color ; the heavier sap wood nearly white. 

 It takes a beautiful polish, and is used for furniture, veneering, 

 button and tassel-moulds, spools, pill and match boxes, the hubs 

 of wheels, flooring, and fuel. 



Betula nigra, Linnaeus. 

 (RIVER BIRCH. RED BIRCH. BLACK BIRCH.) 



A tree, with a short trunk, a large, spreading top, reddish- 

 brown furrowed bark on the stem, and on the branches reddish- 

 white bark which separates in thin papery layers, reaching a 

 height of 80 and a diameter of 3 feet. 



It occurs in moist situations from Massachusetts southward 

 through the coast and^ middle districts to western Florida, and 



