254 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



used to t^n skins and make ink. The wood of the Chestnuts is one 

 of the mbst useful known ; they are valuable trees which grow in 

 the poorest silicious soils. The fruit ^ is well known to be edible, 

 and is used for making many alimentary preparations.^ The Beech 

 is not less useful, particularly the common Beech ^ (fig. 199 — 204) ; 

 the wood of which is used for a multitude of purposes, and its bark 

 and fruit are valued for tanning and dyeing. The charcoal and soot 

 extracted from it are used for making powder, and an esteemed bistre 

 colour. The fruit serves to make a sort of bread, and the embryo is 

 rich in oil, useful both for the table and for lighting. In America, 

 Fagus ferruginea * is applied to the same uses, industrial and eco- 

 nomic. In Chili, F. obliqua,^ according to travellers, furnishes a 

 wood almost as valuable as that of the Oak. The Alders and 

 Birches are also valuable trees, especially in Europe and North 

 America. The common Alder ^ (fig. 165 — 167) has an astringent 

 bark, employed in the treatment of fevers and angina. The leaves 

 are considered poisonous; they were applied to tumours, and the 

 property of arresting the secretion of milk has been attributed to 

 them. In America, Alnus serrulata ^ is used in the treatment of 

 cutaneous, scrofulous, and syphilitic affections. Many other Alders ^ 

 have analogous properties. The most useful of the Birches is' the 

 "White Birch" (fig. I5l — 157), a tree of the cold and temperate 



1 Corwes, GagnavMs, Marrons de Lyon. Mikb. [Coyhue, Coigne), is said to be used, of the 



2 In Java, India, and other countries, many tark of which hoats are made, and in Australia 

 species (referred to the genus Gastanopsis) have the wood of F. Cunninghami Hook. {Myrth 

 edible seeds, notably G.jmanica Bl. Tiingu/rrut Tree). 



Bl. argentea Bl. indiea Eoxb. In California 6 Alnus gluUnosa W. Spee. iv. 334.— Gjeetn. 



the small fruit of G. chrysophylla Hook. [Bot. Fruct. ii. t. 90.— Gken. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. iii. 



Mag. t. 4953) is said to be eaten. 149.— Keg. Prodr. xvi. sect. ii. 186.— GtriB. op. 



3 Fagm sykatica L. Spec. 1416 (part). — cit. ii. 282.— Bosenth. op. cit. 182, 1105.— H. 

 ScHKUHE, Randb. t. 303.— DuHAM. Arbr. ed. 2, Bn. Diet. Encyol. So. Med. vii. 254.—^. iariata 

 80, t. 24.— Eeighe. Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 639.— Hart. c. A. Mey. Fmm. PI. Gaucas. iS.—A. oblongata 

 Forstl. t. 20, 25, fig. 56, 103.— Mer. et Del. W.— ^. elliptiea Eeg.— ^. nitens C. Koch.— ^. 

 Diet. Mat. Med. iii. 210.— Guib. Drog. Simpl. Morisiana Bert. — A. suaveolens Bert. — A. 

 ed. 6, ii. 283.— A. DC. Prodr. xvi.sect. ii. 118. dentieulata C. A. 'U.SY.—Betula Alnus glutinosa 

 Geen. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. iii. 115.— Eosenth. I;. Spec. 1394 {Bergue, Vergne, Verne). 



op. eit. 188 {Fayard, Fayau, Fau, Fan, Faou, 7 W. Spec. iv. 336.— MicHX. Arbr. in. 321, 



Fouteau, Favinier). t. 4, fig. 1.— A. DO. Prodr. n. 13. 



4 Ait. Sort. Kew. iii. 362.— A. DC. Prodr. 8 ^. i„ca»a "W. is astringent, tinctorial.—^. 

 118, n. l.—F. sylvestris MiCHX. Arbr. Am. cordifoUa Ten. (fig. 158-164), rubra Bong, in- 

 ii. 170, t. 8. —F. sylvatica americana Loud. eana W.jorullensis K. have the same properties 

 Fneycl. fig. 1695.— J?. Alba Raftn.—F. nigra as our common Elder. 



Eaein. 9 £etula alba L. Spec. ii. 1393.— Gren. et 



' MiRB. Mem. Mus. xiv. 465, t. 23.— C. Gay, Godr. Fl. de Fr. iii. 147.- Eeg. Prodr. 162, u. 



Fl. CHI. V. 388 {Soble, Pellin, Coyan, Sualle). 1.— H. Bn. Diet. Fneycl. Sc. Med. x. 314. 

 In the same country the wood of F. Dombeyi 



