16 TREE PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



paper or canoe birch, B. papyracia. 



Often abundant in the north half of the state; is plentiful in Renville 

 county, especially in Birch Coolie; "is found," says Prof. Bell, "along the 

 Assiniboine valley as far west as Qu' Appelle lakes." It likes the declivi- 

 ty of hills and does not refuse the bottoms of alluvial soil. 



Its limbs are slender and flexible, or a shiny brown and white dotted, 

 while the body of the tree, especially when young, is as white as the wintry 

 snow which it delights in. It is more papery than the so-called White 

 Birch of less size. The leaves are of middle size, unequally denticulated, 

 ovate, heart-shaped, dull beneath, dark green above; oblong, downy, short- 

 stalked catkins; wings of fruit broad, ripening toward the middle of July. 



The sap-wood is perfectly white. When first laid open its heart is a 

 reddish blue, glossy grained; speedily decays when subject to the extremes 

 of dryness and moisture. It makes superior tables. Some sections of it 

 are as beautiful as mahogany, and is much sought for special embellish- 

 ment. Like its kin, the White Birch of Europe, its bark is used for various 

 purposes. Before we had tarred paper, it was laid immediately beneath 

 the shingles to the roofs of our houses. Pretty baskets are made of it, and 

 fancy boxes and portfolios. From it the Indians construct berry boxes 

 and sap buckets, and canoes, so light that they are easily transported on 

 the shoulders from one lake or river to another. A most valuable tree 

 this. 



Under the order of Betulacese, we have the Low Birch or Tag Alder, 

 common in the north half of the state; the Dwarf Birch, on the northern 

 shore of Lake Superior, on the ridge east of the Red river, often compan- 

 ionated with the Green or Mountain Alder. Under this head also is our 

 Black Alder, quite extensive in the wooded north, and the rare Smooth 

 Alder in the southeast. 



SAPINDACE/E. ilAPLE FAillLY. 



striped maple or moosewood, Acer Pennsylvaniana. 



"Common northeastward, extending south to the upper Mississippi and 

 to southwestern Pine county." Upham. "Rare and local farther south to 

 Lake Pepin." Miss Manning. It is a small, pretty tree, having, as Prof. 

 Gray describes, "light green bark,striped with dark lines, large thin leaves 

 finely sharply serrate (toothed) all around, and at the end three sharp 

 and very taper-pointed lobes, slender hanging racemes (flower clustered) 

 of rather large green flowers, and fruit with diverging wings." At- 

 tractive at all seasons. "One of the earliest trees to feel the approach of 

 spring." Ripens its seed about the first of October, 



mountain maple, A. spicatum. 



"Common north of Lake Superior and along the international boundary; 

 extends south to Mille Lacs." Upham. It is also found elsewhere par- 



