BEVERAGE PLANTS 



The latter species is called in common speech IMack 

 Alder or Winter-berry, and frequents swampy 

 ground as far west as the ^lississippi. 



The spicy, aromatic inner ])ark and younf^ twi^s 

 of the Sweet or Cherry l>ireh (Brfida loita^ L.) also 

 deserve mention, as the basis of that old-time domes- 

 tic brew, birch beer. The characteristic flavor is due 

 to an oil like that distilled from Wintergreen {Gaul- 

 theria procumhens). This species of birch is a 

 graceful forest tree with leaves and bark sui»-gesting 

 a cherry, and is of frequent occurrence in rich wood- 

 lands of the Atlantic seaboard States. The sap is 

 sweet, like the Sugar Maple's, and may be similarly 

 gathered and boiled down into a sugar. The nearly 

 related River Birch {Betula nigra, L.), a denizen of 

 low grounds and streamsides throughout much of 

 the eastern United States, particularly southward, 

 is a potential fountain in early spring when the sap 

 is i-unning. At that season, if you stab the trunk 

 with a knife, stick into the cut a splinter to act as a 

 spout, then set a cup beneath to catch the drippings, 

 you will have shortly a draught as clear and cool as 

 spring water, with an added suggestion of sugar. 

 The tree is distinguished by slender, drooping 

 branches, which sleet storms in winter sometimes 

 badly shatter and break. From such niitcndod 



165 



