114 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



It is common from Newfoundland to the western shores of Lake 

 Superior and Rainy Lake, south through the northern states to 

 Delaware, and southern Minnesota, and along the Appalachian 

 mountains to the high peaks of North Carolina and Tennessee; 

 reaching its best development in southern Canada and the north- 

 eastern United States. 



In this State, where it attains a height of 80 to 90 and a diam- 

 eter of 2 to 3 feet it is coniined to the high mountains, where, in 

 damp woods, it is not uncommon. (Fig. 80, p. 115.) 



Seed is produced abundantly every 2 or 3 years, and young 

 trees are common in damp shady woods at liigh elevations. It 

 grows rapidly when the light conditions are favorable. Speci- 

 mens over three feet in diameter are usually hollow. 



The leaves are elliptical or ovate, coarsely toothed, and hairy 

 on the midrib beneath. The male catkins are cylindrical and 

 pendulous ; the female sliort and nearly erect, which, when mature, 

 form an egg-shaped cone, 1? inches long, made up of stiff tough 

 3-lobed scales and containing winged seeds. The flowers 

 appear in early spring before the leaves.' The prominent winter- 

 buds are smooth and conical. The undeveloped male catkins are 

 formed in the fall and are conspicuous during the winter. The 

 yellow birch has a tap-root, which usually forks and takes a lat- 

 eral, direction, and several strung lateral roots. 



The wood is heavy, very strong, hard, very close-grained, com- 

 pact ; light brown in color ; the heavier sap wood nearly white. 

 It takes a beautiful polish, and is used for furniture, veneering, 

 button and tassel-moulds, spools, pill and match boxes, the hubs 

 of wheels, flooring, and fuel. 



Betula nigra, Linnnjus. 

 (river birch, red birch, black birch.) 



A tree, with a short trunk, a large, spreading top, reddish- 

 brown furrowed bark on the stem, and on the branches reddish- 

 white bark which separates in thin papery layers, reaching a 

 height of 80 and a diameter of 3 feet. 



It occurs in moist situations from Massachusetts southward 

 through the coast and middle districts to western Florida, and 



