THE BEECH. 155 



of George the First proposed a scheme for paying off the 

 national debt with the oil of Beech nuts ! 



The green wood is heavier than that of any of our 

 timber trees, but loses nearly a fourth of its weight in 

 drying. Though tolerably hard, it is easily worked, and 

 is applied to a great variety of uses. The principal 

 objection to it is, that it is liable to be perforated by a 

 small beetle. In Scotland, Loudon informs us, the 

 branches and spray are distilled for producing pyro- 

 ligneous acid ; and the wood, branches, and twigs are 

 much used for smoking herrings. It will bear being cut 

 into very thin plates, and is consequently much used for 

 making the scabbards of swords. In Evelyn's time, the 

 art of cutting the wood into these thin plates was not 

 known in England, and when discovered was long kept 

 secret. The neat-looking, but very inconvenient, basket 

 for holding strawberries, called a pottle, is made of Beech. 

 The same material was employed in the days of Evelyn, 

 who refers the custom to remote antiquity. It is also 

 preferred to every other wood for making the wooden 

 shoes called sabots, worn by the French peasantry. By 

 being dried in the smoke of burning green wood, these 

 acquire the property of resisting the attacks of insects. 

 It forms an excellent fuel, and is no less useful, when con- 

 verted into charcoal, for the manufacture of gunpowder. 



Several singular varieties of the British Beech are in 

 cultivation, which deserve a passing notice. The Purple 

 Beech has its leaves in their early stage of a bright rose- 

 colour, which, as the season advances, deepens to a rich 

 purple, approaching black. It is a native of Germany, 

 where it was discovered about the middle of the last 

 century. It is usually propagated by grafts, plants raised 

 from seed having a tendency to revert to the common form 

 of the tree. This variety presents a beautiful appearance 

 when scantily interspersed among other trees in a lawn or 

 grove, but should never be planted alone. The Cut-leaved 

 Beech lias its leaves indented, so as almost to resemble in 



