86 FAMILIAR TREES AJTD THEIR LEAVES. 



birch, may boast of bark witb a texture like satin 

 and a sbeen like silver. 



Tbis yellow birch is so closely allied to the black 

 birch that I must point out the differences which we 

 may observe in their leaves. The yellow-birch leaf 

 is rather coarser in texture and toothed edge ; it is 

 not so conventional in figure as that of the black 

 birch; it is often quite contracted at the scalloped 

 base, which is not so decidedly formed ; its leaf stem 

 is exceedingly downy, also the back of the leaf, espe- 

 cially over the veins ; and, lastly, it does not possess 

 the shiny, bright-green color which characterizes the 

 black birch. Besides these leaf differences there are 

 others : the catkin is less long and more egg-shaped, 

 and its scales are larger and thinner; but tlie fact 

 that the yellow birch has unmistakably yellow bark 

 prevents the possibility of confusion with any other 

 of the species. The tree attains a height of 80 or 90 

 feet if it is placed in advantageous circumstances ; I 

 know of a specimen over Y5 feet high near Livermor^ 

 Falls, Plymouth, N. H. The wood is white, and not 

 very useful except as fuel. 

 White or The common white birch, sometimes 



Gray Birch. called gray birch, is an American tree 



Jietula popuhfoUa. (■ i ■ i m , -, t 



01 which we may well be proud. 1 

 think it possesses a feminine grace and charm which 

 are as yet unappreciated by those who seek after 



