TRKKS GROW I NO IN RICH SOIL. 



179 



him lo spend many an hour under ils shailc. He chats to his 

 companion about his strujrj,dcs with the trout or of tiie mischief 

 the squirrels have done to the leaf-buds, ami he jirides himself 

 upon locating a borer as surely as he can scent the advance of 

 sprinjj;. The sweet birch knows too the stride of the axe-man ; 

 for ils line, dark reddish wood is valuable. Jt receives a beau- 

 tiful polish and is strong and heavy. As a substitute for black 

 cherry it is made into furniture. In fact the appearance of 

 the tree is such that it might readily be mistaken for a cherry 

 tree. I5ircli oil which is an important article of connucrce is 

 (hstilled from the foliage and graceful branches o\ {\\v tree. It 

 is the same as the oil of wintergreen which is takeii from the 

 quaint little plant, GauUJieria procuinbeiis. 



YELLOW BIRCH. GREY BIRCH. {Plate XC/F.) 



Betula Ihtca. 



FAMILY SHAPE HEIGHT RANGE 



lUiili. I'} imnidal: hyaiuhcs^ ^-^ ^y Jci't. A'e't' Kiix'/iinif SiVit/i- 

 iciisr, slt'iiiiir. 7v,irii to I'enn, 



TIME OF BLOOM 



Bark: light yellowish prey; ni:uke(l horizontally ami scp.TratiiiL; and peel- 

 ing like siiavings. IWjth the hark and the gieyish-lirown twigs have a slightly 

 aromatic sweet taste. Leaves : simple; alternate; with slenc'ei downv, i)etioles, 

 often in pairs; ovate, with pointed ape.x and narrowed and rumuled or rarelv 

 sul)-cordate base, coarsely and nnecjually serrate; ribs, straight and conspiciioiKS. 

 Dnll green above, downv below and becoming smooth at matnrity. Stinninate 

 cd/kiiis: yellowish gr(?en ; three to fonr inches long. J'is/i//dtc Ciitkius : )i\\o\\.\ 

 sessile. A'/i/s: oval ; broad; wider than the wings. 



It is frequently said by many that they never notice the 

 bark of a tree or its leaves ; that it appeals to them entirely 

 by its general outline and presence. Again others observe 

 these things almost to the exclusion of the individual character 

 of the tree. The bark of the yellow birch, however, is one 

 that should attract the attention of all ; for it is particularly 

 unique and beautiful. It is golden with a silver sheen and the 

 separating shreds curl about it like the ribbon decorations of 

 some fantastic lady. An air of delicacy also makes the tree 

 quite distinctive from those among which it grows. 



In Canada and New England this birch is one of the largest 



