128 



WOOD AND FOHEST. 



36 



Eed Bibch. Eivee Bikch. 



Red refers to color of bark ; river, prefers river bottoms. 



Betiila nigra Linnaeus. 



Betula, the classical Latin name. 



Habitat. 



Leaf. 



Habitat: (See map); 

 ?jest in Florida, Louisi- 

 ana and Texas. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree : Height, 30'-80', 

 and even higher ; diame- 

 ter, 1', even 5'; trunk, 

 often divided low ; bark, 

 dark lirown, marked by 

 horizontal lenticels, peels 

 into paper plates, curl- 

 ing back : leaves, doubly 

 serrate, often almost 

 lobed ; fruit, puljescent, 

 erect, sti'obiles. 



Appearance of Wood ; 



Color, light brown, thick 

 sap-wood, whitish ; dif- 

 fuse-porous ; rings, not 

 plain ; grain, close, rather 

 crooked ; rays, numerous, 

 oliscure. 



Physical Qualities ; 



Weight, medium (36th 

 in tin's list) ; 3.5 lbs. per 



