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the divisions of the nerves, where they have a 

 close thick pubescence. The male catkins are 

 sessile at the ends of the branches, usually by 

 threes ; they are two inches long, the thickness 

 of a swan's quill, and the scales ferruginous : 

 the female catkins, one on each side, having two 

 or three bundles between the shining-brown 

 testaceous scales, coming out with a leaf or 

 two, alternate on the peduncles : when in flower 

 they are of a brownish green colour, and of an 

 oblong cylindric form : when ripe they are 

 smaller than those of the common Alder, not 

 divaricate, and in other respects different. It 

 is a native of different parts of Switzerland. 



There are many varieties : as the Cut-leaved, 

 the Dwarf Alpine, the Long-leaved, and the 

 Rose-flowered Hoary Alder. 



Culture. — The soils most suited to the culture 

 of the Birch are those of the light black loamy 

 .kind, on a dry sandy or gravelly substratum. 

 In those of the more moist and retentive descrip- 

 tions, it grows with rapidity, but soon decays, 

 and the wood is not so valuable. It grows 

 more slowly on those of the light sandy or gra- 

 velly kinds, and where the situation is exposed ; 

 but the timber is better. 



All the species are capable of being raised by 

 sowing the seeds ; collected when the scales in- 

 closing them begin to open in the autumn, on 

 narrow beds of light earth, either at the above 

 period or in the early spring months, covering 

 them in a very slight manner. When the young 

 plants appear they should be kept clean from 

 weeds, and after they have attained sufficient 

 growth be planted out in rows in the nursery- 

 ground, at the distance of six, eight, or 

 twelve inches from each othher, having spaces 

 of from eighteen inches to two feet between 

 them. In these situations they may remain 

 till they have attained a growth sufficient to be 

 planted out in the pleasure-ground, as five, six, 

 or eight feet in height. In the American sorts 

 the seeds are supplied by the ships from thence. 

 They may also be increased by layers made 

 from the young shoots of two-years growth. In 

 order to effect this, a few trees of the best sorts 

 wanted should be headed down in the autumn 

 to the ground, to form shoots, which, by send- 

 ing out lateral branches in a plentiful manner 

 in the spring, fully answer the purpose. These 

 are plashed and laid down into the mould, with 

 their smaller shoots, when of sufficient growth ; 

 all of which soon strike root, and become fit to 

 be taken off and planted out in the nursery- 

 ground, in rows, at similar distances to the above, 

 when they have had a twelvemonth's growth. 

 These stools continue to afford supplies of fresh 

 shoots, for being laid down, for several years. 

 3 



While in the nursery the plants should be kept clean 

 from weeds, by being frequently hoed among, 

 and having the earth well stirred and loosened 

 between them. During this period all such 

 plants as are crooked and not handsome in their 

 growth, or which are of slow and imperfect 

 growth, should be cut over close to the surface- 

 of the ground, in order that they may shoot up 

 again in better forms. 



This is the best method of increasing all the 

 varieties of both the common and other species, 

 as they are liable to degenerate when raised from 

 seeds. 



With the common sort it is recommended by 

 some, as the best and most ready method of pro- 

 viding this sort of plants, where it can be done, 

 to collect them from woods or other piaces where 

 they have risen naturally from seeds. They mostly 

 succeed well when removed to better soils, and 

 more open situations. 



The fourth species, besides being raised in the 

 two first of the above methods, is capable of 

 being increased by cuttings of different sizes, 

 when planted in such situations as are inclined 

 to be moist. When these have had two or three 

 years growth they may be removed into the 

 places where they are to remain. They likewise 

 grow well from large cuttings usually termed 

 truncheons, when planted out in such situations 

 as the above. These should be formed to the 

 length of from two to three feet in length, being 

 set one-third into the ground, holes being first 

 made for their reception, and the bark wholly 

 preserved upon the parts which are thus intro- 

 duced. Upon this being perfectly attended to, 

 much of the success of the planter depends. 



The last species naturally affects such soils as 

 are of the poor sandy or gravelly kinds: it may 

 of course be employed where other trees cannot 

 be introduced. It is capable of being reared in 

 the same methods as the other species. 



All the different species and varieties of these 

 trees, when introduced in proper mixture with 

 others of the deciduous kind, in large plantations, 

 clumps, wilderness quarters, and belts of plant- 

 ing on the sides or other parts of pleasure- 

 grounds, produce a good effect, affording 

 much diversity by the great variety in their 

 foliage and colour. The Weeping Birch and 

 some of the other r-,orts have likewise an agree- 

 able appearance, when planted singly on exten- 

 sive lawns or open spaces. The foliage in the 

 Aider, though full and pleasing, is but seldom 

 observed in the plantations or other parts of or- 

 namented grounds. It would seem, however, to 

 deserve a place in such situations in all its diffe- 

 rent varieties. 



From the juice of the common Birch, col- 



