THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



last species (F. orientalis) is found on the Caucasus, in 

 Asia Minor, and in northern Persia; the Caucasus 

 being its centre of distribution. Of these ten Beeches 

 the Dagelet Island and Formosan species are the 

 only ones not growing in the Arnold Arboretum. 



All the Beeches are lovely trees in their native 

 haunts. Their wood is similar and makes excellent 

 fuel but is not much esteemed otherwise. It is more 

 used in France perhaps than in other countries, and 

 in parts of Buckinghamshire, England, where the 

 manufacture of Beech-wood furniture constitutes a 

 local industry of some importance. 



The Common Beech is the only kind^whose merit 

 as a planted tree is properly known, and it is one of 

 the very few European trees that thrives in eastern 

 North America. It will grow on almost any soil 

 except pure peat and heavy clay, but prefers dry soil 

 and attains its greatest perfection on calcareous land 

 or on deep loam. On light, sandy soils, the bark often 

 splits longitudinally, and the trunks singularly re- 

 semble those of Hornbeam (Carpinus). For park 

 and lawn the Beech is a most worthy tree, pictur- 

 esque, and always gives satisfaction. Very many 

 forms are recognized — the Purple, Copper, Fern-leaf, 

 and Weeping being the best known — but as a matter 

 of fact the Beech is more prolific in varying forms 

 than any other broad-leaf tree. Several of these 



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