THE BIRCHES AND HORNBEAMS 



The "hornbeam, like the hop hornbeam, is a 

 small tree and is found growing under larger 

 trees in the woods. It is readily distinguished 

 from the hop hornbeam by its smooth, dark 

 bark, the hornlike appearance of which instantly 

 suggests its name. There is but one native 

 species in New England, and it is much smaller 

 than its sister tree from Europe of the same 

 name. The European hornbeam has long 

 been used for making hedges, and in Germany 

 the hornbeams are planted in such a manner 

 that every two plants intersect each other in 

 the form of a St. Andrew's cross. At the 

 point where the two plants cross each other the 

 bark is scraped off and the hornbeams are bound 

 together closely with straw. The two plants 

 grow together in a knot and send out horizontal 

 shoots in a few years, making an impenetrable 

 hedge. The hornbeam was much used in form- 

 al gardens for labyrinths, arcades, and groves, 

 and as hedges for geometric designs known as 

 "the star" and "the goose-foot." 



The wood, like that of the hop hornbeam, is 

 hard, heavy, strong, and close-grained. It is 

 used for small articles like the handles of tools. 



The generic name, Carpinus, comes from the 

 Celtic car (wood), pinda (head), meaning that 

 the wood was used for making the yokes of 



