132 WOOD AND FOREST. 



38 



Yellow Bikcii. Gkay Birch. 



Yellow and gray, both refer to the color of the bark. 



Belula lutca F. A. Michanx. 



Befula, the classical Latin name; liitca refers to the yellow color of the 



bark. 



Habitat 



Habitat: (See map); 

 best in northern I^Tew 

 York and ISTew England. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree: Heiglit. (30'-] 00'; di- 

 ameter, 3'-4' ; branches, 

 biw ; bark, silvery, yellow, 

 gray, peeling horizontally 

 into thin, papery, persist- 

 ent layers, bnt on very old 

 trunks, there are rough, 

 irregular, plate-like scales: 

 leaves, ovate, sharply, 

 doulily serrate ; fi'uit. 

 ei'cct, 1" strobiles. 



Appearance of Wood: 



Color, light reddish brown, 

 sap-wood white ; diffuse- 

 porous; rings, obscure; 

 grain, close, fairly 



straight : rays, numerous, 

 obscure. 



Physical Qualities : 



Heavy (31st in this list) ; 

 40 lbs. per cu. ft. ; sp. gr., 



