64 BIKCH. 



The flowers are small, destitute of perianth, amentaceous, and 

 monoecious ; the male catkins are long, and composed of ter- 

 nate scales ; the stamens are eleven or twelve, with anthers 

 grouped in fours ; tlie female catkins are shorter and inore 

 dense, composed of 3-lobed scales, each of which contains 

 three flowers. The germen is compressed, 2-celled ; styles 2, 

 subulate ; stigmas simple. The fruit is compressed, mem- 

 branous at the margin, and contains a single seed. Plate 4, fig. 

 3, (1*) male catkins; (2*) female catkin; (a) scale detached 

 from the male catkin ; (b) scale from the female catkin ; (c) 

 scale of the ripe fertile catkin ; (d) ripe fruit. 



This elegant tree inhabits woods, especially in heathy soils, 

 and in mountainous countries, flowering ^n the early spring. 

 It forms extensive natural woods in the Highlands of Scotland, 

 and is one of the last productions of vegetation towards the 

 North Pole. The name is said to be derived from betu, the 

 Celtic appellation of the birch. 



Burns has celebrated it as " the fragrant birk in woodbines 

 drest." 



Qualities and general Uses. — This tree is applied to 

 numerous important purposes by the inhabitants of Sweden, 

 Lapland, and Russia. 



The Laplanders naake of the outer bark, shoes for fishing, 

 baskets and fishing lines, by weaving slips of it together. The 

 dishes in which their fish is served at table, are made of the 

 same materials ; and a large thick piece of the bark, w'ell dried, 

 with a circular hole in the centre, the size of the neck, serves 

 them for a cloak, which, when the opening in front is closed 

 with a wooden skewer, keeps them dry in the heaviest rains. 

 The inner bark, which is thick, fleshy, fibrous and brittle, is 

 made into nets, and all the Laplanders prepare leather by 

 steeping the ox-hides which they obtain from Norway and 

 Sweden in a warm decoction of the bark, for three successive 

 days. This leather they prefer to any other, as it resists the 

 water better. The Laplanders never make the bark into bread, 

 as the Kamschatdales are said to do*. 



In some northern countries, houses are covered with the 

 bark, and it is twisted into torches ; good charcoal is made of 



* Flora Lapponica, p. 271. 



