FAGx\CE.E— 15EECH FAMIL" 



BEECH 



Fdg'iis n/ivfii>i/,-i;7. Ft):;/!.! fi-rni^i'iu-a. 



Fdi^us from /■/hi^v, to eat, because the mils were used as food i 

 the earlv aL:es. 



Widel\- distributed, growing on uplands and mountain slo^ies, also 

 on alluvial bottom lamls and bonieis of streams. Usually seventy 

 to eighty feet high. In the erowded forest, tall, 

 slender, uith narrow head ; in open situations, 

 short stemmed, forming a round-topped head of 

 slender, slightly drooping branches beset with 

 short lateral branchlets. But one species is 

 native to North America. Grows well on lime- 

 stone. 



Bark. — Compact, smooth, ashy gray. Ihanch- 

 lets at first pale green, then oli\e green, tinally 

 changing through brown to ashy gray. 



Wood. — Light red, varying in color in differ- 

 ent loc.Uities ; hard, strong, tough, very close 

 straight-grained and susceptible of a fine polish. 

 Used in manufacture of chairs, agricultural 

 implements and handles of tools. Sp. gr., 

 0.6S83 ; weight of cu. ft., 42. 89 lbs. 



Leaf-Buds. — Cylindrical, long-pointed, light 

 chestnut brown, three-fourths to one inch long. 



Leaves. — Alternate, oblong-ovate, rounded or 

 cordate at base, coarsely serrate with spreading 

 or incurved teeth, acute or acuminate. Feather- 

 veined. They come out of the bud plicate, pale 

 green and silky, when full grov.n become dark green above, pale 

 green beneath. In autumn they turn a clear golden yellow, and 



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