123 



BEECH. 



Fagus grandifolia, Ehrhart. 



FORM Large tree usually attaining a heigh't of 50-60 ft. with a diameter of 2-3 ft., but 

 may reach a height of 125 ft. Avith a diameter of 4J feet. Forest grown trees tall, slender, 

 free from lateral branches for a considerable distance from the base, with a rather compact 

 shallow crown. Open grown trees short-trunked, covered with many lateral branches which 

 are often drooping below and erect above, forming a dense, deep, symmetrical crown. 



BARK Very close, smooth, light gray, mottled with dark spots. It invites the cutting 

 of initials and other outline carvings. See Fig. 92. 



TWIGS Slender, da;lc yellow to gray, at first hairy, later smooth, zigzag, covered with 

 yellowish lenticels, and marked by Dud-scale scars. 



BUDS Alternate; terminal bud present; five times as long as wide, slender, sharp-pointed, 

 conical, usually smooth, covered by 10-20 reddish-brown bud-scales with hairy margins. - 



LEAVES Alternate, simple, ovate, 3-4 inches long, stiff leathery, with tapering apex and 

 sharp-toothed margin; light green above, yellowish-green below. 



LEAF-SCARS Raised, crescent-shaped to elliptical with a few scattered bundle-scajrs. 

 Stipule-scars narrow, almost encircling twig; one end of each stipule-scar is raised above the 

 other end. 



FLOWERS Appear about April when leaves are one-third developed. Staminate flowers 

 in a stalked round head about one inch in diameter; pistillate flowers in 2-flowered clusters 

 from the axil of the upper leaves. 



1RUIT A stalked, prickly, 4-valved bur containing triangular pale brown, shining nuts 

 with sweet edible kernel. 



WOOD Diffuse-porous with minute pares; broad medullary rays present with narrow ones 

 intervening; hard, strong, tough, not durable, difficult to season, light red in color. Weighs 

 42. N'. ii)s. per cubic foot. Used for rail'.ond ties, parquet flooring, novelty wares, carpenter 

 tools, fuel, and charcoal. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The American Beech can readily be distinguished by 

 its close, smooth, light gray bark, its simple, leathery, often persistent leaves, its prickly 

 gnd stalked fruit with triangular seeds, and its long, slender, conical, sharp-pointed reddish- 

 brown buds. 



RANGE Nova Scotia to Ontario and Wisconsin, south to Florida and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION K7 PENNSYLVANIA Found in every part of the State, but most abundant 

 in the northern parr. Local in the southeastern and southwestern parts. 



HABITAT Commonly found on rich moiet bottom lands, but is also abundant on gravelly 

 slopes and rich uplands. It endures dense shade and variations of temperature. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES This species was formerly not of very much commercial 

 importance, but it is now becoming more important since the process of timber impregnation 

 has been developed. It furnishes excellent fuel and in some regions it is now converted into 

 railroad ties and aloO manufactured into various by-products on a rather extensive scale. 

 It cannot, however, be recommended for extensive planting for forestry purposes but should 

 be retained and developed in the farmer's woodlot where the production of fuel is important. 

 In the future when more intensive systems of forest management have been developed it 

 can be used for undei planting and as a noil conserver. 



