208 



THE BIRCH. 



The Birch is a tree of rapid growth, especially when 

 young ; and as it is little affected by exposure, it forms an 

 excellent nurse for other trees. The soil which it prefers 

 is turf over sand, and in such situations it attains maturity 

 in about fifty years ; but it seldom exceeds fifty feet in 



height, with a trunk from twelve to eighteen inches in 

 'diameter. The bark possesses the singular property of 

 being more durable than the wood which it encircles. Of 

 this the peasants of Sweden and Lapland, where Birch is 

 very abundant, take advantage, and, shaping it like tiles, 

 cover their houses with it. Travellers in Lapland have 

 noticed in the Birch-forests, that when the soil is very 

 scanty, the trees are liable to be blown down ; so that, in 



