WHITE, OK COMMON BIRCH. 233 



highly appreciated, and applied to a greater variety of 

 uses than in Britain. In parts of France it forms the 

 felloes of wheels, and in Russia is converted to this and 

 many other purposes. In Sweden, and other northern 

 countries, it is made into furniture, but for this it must 

 be of a great age, otherwise it warps, and is liable to 

 the attack of the worm. In all these northern parts it 

 is a tree of inestimable value to the inhabitants, as, in 

 addition to the uses already stated, it affords one of the 

 best and most ardent fuels, and in Sweden is that most 

 generally used for the iron-smelting furnaces ; the outer 

 bark, also, which may be termed imperishable, (as it 

 remains uncorrupted for ages,*) is used instead of tiles 

 or slabs as a covering for houses, and so completely does 

 it resist decay, that the Norwegians generally cover their 

 bark roofs to the depth of a foot or more with earth : it 

 also makes a coping for walls and other erections where 

 protection from moisture is required ; and, being very in- 

 flammable, is used instead of candles. By the Laplanders 

 the bark is made into baskets, neat compact boxes, mats, 

 as well as cordage for harnessing their reindeer ; of it they 

 also make their water-proof boots and shoes ; the legs of 

 the boots being taken entire from the trees, and therefore 

 without any seam, and a piece of it with a hole cut so 

 as to admit the head, forms an impenetrable cloak, or 

 cape, in wet weather. From the leaves and young shoots 

 a good yellow dye is obtained ; but to enter into all the 

 uses mentioned by authors to which the various parts of 

 the Birch are applied, would occupy more space than we 

 can afford. 



* In tlie " Nov. du Hamel," we are informed that in the rains of Dworotrkoi 

 in Siberia, a piece of Birch wood was found changed into stone, while the epider- 

 mis, white and shining, remained in its natural state. 



