BETULACE^E BIRCH FAMILY 



BIRCH 



B&ula. 



Betula is derived by Pliny from bitumen. Birch by some is 

 derived from Betu its Celtic name ; by others from the Latin 

 batuere, to beat, because the fasces of the Roman lictors, which 

 were always made of birch rods, were used to drive back the 

 people. 



There are in North America nine birches of which six are 

 trees, and five of these flourish east of the Rocky Mountains. 

 All are trees of singular grace and beauty and possess a cer- 

 tain distinction of character which fits them for an honored 

 place in parks and pleasure grounds. The roots are fibrous 

 and the trees can be readily transplanted. All grow rapidly. 



The bark of all the birches is characteristically marked 

 with long horizontal lenticels, and often separates into thin 

 papery plates, especially upon the Paper Birch. It is prac- 

 tically imperishable, due to the resinous oil it contains. Its 

 decided color gives the common names Red, White, Black, 

 and Yellow to the different species. The buds form early 

 and are full grown by midsummer, all are lateral, no terminal 

 bud is formed ; the branch is prolonged by the upper lateral 

 bud. The wood of all the species is close-grained with satiny 

 texture and capable of taking a fine polish ; its fuel value is 

 fair. 



The leaves of the different species vary but little. All 

 are alternate, doubly serrate, feather-veined, petiolate, and 

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