MONOECIA POLYANDRIA. Betula. 283 



specimens were sent, informs me, that Q. sessiliflora "varies 

 with sessile (stalkless) leaves, and that the acorn-cups, in the 

 second var. are in a curious state, producing its scales in the 

 form of abortive leaves." R. W. 1832. 



Tree. April, May. 



Wood far inferior. Ls. more equally wing-cleft ; in var. 0. downy. 



FAGUS. Beech, and Chestnut. 



* F. Castdnea. Sweet C. Leaves spear-shaped, sharply 

 saw-toothed ; smooth beneath. Prickles of the outer 

 calyx compound and entangled. Stigmas six. E. B. 

 886. Ohstanea. G. E. 1442. 



fVoods, plantations. 

 Tree. May. 



The Spanish Chestnut, Fagus Castanea, occurs, but we presume 

 not as indigenous. 



F. sylvdtica. Common B. Leaves egg-shaped, indis- 

 tinctly saw-toothed. Prickles of the outer calyx simple. 

 Stigmas three. E. B. 1846. Fagus. G. E. 1444. 



Woods, on chalky hills. Sm, 



Tree. April. 



Bark very smooth. Ls. shining, waved, finely fringed. Fl. in 



small, round, hairy tufts, long-stalked, with spear-shaped bracts. 



Cal. of the fruit egg-shaped, silky. Nuts sharply triangular. 



A beautiful tree, bears lopping well, but allows no verdure to 

 flourish under it : thrives in a rich soil : retaining its old leaves 

 during winter, it forms excellent cut hedges for shelter. The wood 

 brittle, soon decaying in the air : under water durable : burnt 

 affords a large quantity of potash. The leaves gathered in 

 autumn form tolerably good mattresses. The nuts, when dried 

 and powdered, make wholesome bread : they fatten swine. The 

 poor in Silesia use the expressed oil of the nuts for butter. 



The branches and leaves of this tree feather almost to the 

 gi'ound. The var. with purple foliage very ornamental in shrub- 

 beries. The boards of this thinly splitting wood formerly used by 

 the bookbinder for covers of books. Fat of hogs fed on the mast 

 not solid. Linn. Ccesar (De Bella Gallico,) lib. 5. c. 12. asserted, 

 that there was no beech timber in Britain, nor fir. 



BE'TULA. Birch. 



B. alba. Common B. Leaves egg-diamond-shaped, 

 acute, unequally saw-toothed, nearly smooth. E. B. 

 2198. Betula. G. E. 1478. 



Woods. 



Tree. April. 



Bark of the trunk white, with paper-like outer bark (epidermis) 



