182 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



" You must know that there are two kinds 

 of beech that are found in this country ; the 

 red and the white. These names are given 

 them on account of the colour of the wood. 

 The white beech is the kind that you know ; 

 the red only grows in Canada and the north- 

 eastern parts of the United States ; in Maine 

 and New-Hampshire it is one of the most 

 common of all trees ; but farther south it is 

 almost unknown. The red beech is a very 

 handsome tree ; its general height is sixty or 

 seventy feet, but I have seen it nearly a hun- 

 dred. The trunk is almost always straight, 

 and rather slender for its height ; and the 

 branches are very thick and spreading, and 

 full of leaves, so that the top, or branching 

 part, is very spacious. The leaves are of a 

 beautiful, brilliant green, notched at the edges 

 with sharp even teeth ; they are handsomely 

 shaped, and about three inches long, and one 

 and a half wide. I suppose you can tell me 

 something about the fruit ; at least you can 

 describe the fruit of the white beech, and I 

 will tell you wherein the other kind differs 

 from it." 



" The fruit is the same as the nuts, is it not, 

 Uncle Philip ? They grow two of them 



