132 



WOOD AND FOREST. 



38 



bark. 



YELLOW BIRCH. GRAY BIRCH. 



Yellow and gray, both refer to the color of the bark. 



Betula lutea F. A. Michaux. 

 Betula, the classical Latin name; lutea refers to the yellow color of the 



Habitat 



Habitat: (S.eemap); 

 best in northern New 

 York and Few England. 



Leaf. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree: Height, 60'-100'; di- 

 ameter, 3'-4'; branches, 

 low; bark, silvery, yellow, 

 gray, peeling horizontally 

 into thin, papery, persist- 

 ent layers, but on very old 

 trunks, there are rough, 

 irregular, plate-like scales; 

 leaves, ovate, sharply, 

 doubly serrate ; fruit, 

 erect, 1" strobiles. 



Appearance of Wood: 



Color, light reddish brown, 

 sap-wood white ; diffuse- 

 porous; rings, obscure; 

 grain, close, fairly 

 straight; rays, numerous, 

 obscure. 



Physical Qualities: 

 Heavy (21st in this list) ; 

 40 Ibs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 



