THE BIRCHES. 



95 



as if there were no 

 forest in the way 

 and room was not 

 scarce, for their 

 topmost boughs 

 quite overspread in 

 radius two other 

 comrades of lesser stature but 

 denser growth. "Want of sun- 

 Mght and the perpetual gloom 

 of the primitive forest do not 

 seriously retard the growth 

 of the paper birch, other- 

 wise we could not see its 

 vigorous stem stand like a 

 white giant in the dim 

 distance of the dark 

 woods as we look from 

 one mountain toward an- 

 other. 



The wood of this 

 birch is huffish white 

 and close-grained ; it 

 makes a splendid hard floor, 



and for interior finish has no equal among the 

 plainer kinds of ornamental wood. It makes an ex- 

 cellent fuel, although it is quickly consumed. In 



TToung sprout of Paper Birch. 



