APPLICATION OF THE METHOD. 53 



rapidly if it is alternately wet and dry. It is thus 

 ill-adapted for building purposes, except for sub- 

 aqueous constructions ; but it forms a splendid 

 manufacturing wood, and is much used in cabinet 

 work, wheelwrightry, cooperage, and coach-building, 

 and for packing cases, measures of capacity, and 

 wooden shoes. It splits readily and evenly, while yet 

 green, but it should only be used when thoroughly sea- 

 soned, as it shrinks and contracts in all directions. 



Impregnated with sulphate of copper, it has been 

 used for railway sleepers, but hitherto with an in- 

 different result, for it does not last any longer than un- 

 impregnated oak. Benzine is now taking the place 

 of sulphate of copper in the impregnation of beech. 



Its firewood and charcoal are much valued. The 

 fruit yields an edible oil. 



KOTATION. The different services to which the 

 beech is put do not require it to be of great size, and 

 as the sapwood is used, it is generally sufficient to 

 obtain trees of six to seven feet in girth. So we may 

 apply to this species, growing in High Forest, rota- 

 tions of from 120 to 160 years. 



KE GENERATION. The beech forms large forests 

 by itself, but it is also frequently associated with oak, 

 silver fir, maple, Scotch pine, &c. We must first of 

 all then study it in its pure state, and afterwards en- 

 quire how the treatment should be modified when it 

 is growing with other species. 



PRIMARY CUTTING. The very delicate nature of 



The former case, with uniformly distributed pores, is obviously 

 unaffected by slowness or rapidity of growth ; it includes the beech, 

 hornbeam, poplars, willows, &c. 



