40 A MANUAL OF FORESTRY 



situations where there is plenty of light, but under shade is soon 

 killed out. It thrives on the driest of sand plains differing in 

 that respect from the paper birch, but is also occasionally found 

 in rather swampy places. The quality or texture of the soil 

 seems to be of less importance than the amount of light available. 

 It produces a large crop of seed every fall which is blown long 

 distances. This germinates best on bare mineral soil, though 

 often starting well on a thin sod. For the first twenty years or 

 so it grows very rapidly and when cut sprouts vigorously, so that 

 in many cases it is an undesirable weed on account of the diffi- 

 culty of keeping it out of the fields. 



The gray birch is easily killed by ground fires, but has no 

 serious enemies. 



It seldom attains lumber size, and is an indifferent fuel, but is 

 beginning to be used for spool and bobbin manufacture and other 

 purposes for which its wood, which is similar to that of the paper 

 birch, is fitted. However, it is not a tree that will ever be 

 favored by the forester. 



BEECH (Fagus atropunicea). 



The range of the beech extends throughout the eastern United 

 States from the Atlantic to Wisconsin and Texas and south to 

 the Gulf of Mexico. In New England it is found principally in 

 the forests of the three northern states. As found in New Eng- 

 land, it occurs always in mixture with other trees, and prefers a 

 loam soil. However, it frequently grows on very poor sandy 

 soils or other dry situations. It is one of the most shade endur- 

 ing trees, and on this account it is able to grow under a dense 

 cover of other species. Like the yellow birch and maple it is 

 slow growing and lives to an advanced age. Although it suckers 

 from the roots, its chief means of reproduction is by seed, which 

 being a heavy nut cannot be transported by the wind. Heavy 

 seed crops occur only at long intervals, although some- seed is 

 borne every three or four years. The seed germinates best 

 on a mineral soil well mixed with humus. In Connecticut, 

 Rhode I -land, and southeastern Massachusetts the beech repro- 



