BLACK BIRCH (Betula lenta L.) 



THE black birch, also known as sweet birch, or 

 cherry birch, occurs only in the highlands and 

 mountain sections. It attains its best development 

 in the mountain coves and 6n rich slopes where' it 

 reaches an average height of 70 feet and a diameter 

 of 2 to 3 feet. ,The tree is moderately slow growing, 

 but is of value fof its products and protection to the 

 soil in the high mouutains. 



BLACS BIRCH 



Twig, one-half natural size. 



Leaf, one-third natural size. 



The bark of the trunk is dark brown, almost 

 black, dull and broken into large irregular, but not 

 papery, plates. The small branclies aiid twigs j also 

 dark in color but lustrous and very aromatic, are 

 frequently cut arid > distilled for the production of; 

 birch oil, much used as wintergpeen flavoring. 



. The leaves are simple, alternate, oval or ap- 

 proaching oblong, 3 to 4 inches long, finely toqthed 

 and dark gf Ben, dull on the upper surf ace. 



The flowers are of two kinds; the male catkins, 

 usually 3 to 4 on a shoot, forming in the summer and 

 blooming the following spring wlien the female cat- 

 kins or "coni^^" opeu from the winter buds. The 

 seeds ripen in late summer or autumn and fall with 

 the loosened scales of the "cone." 



The wood is heavy, very strong, hard and compact. 

 The dark-brown color of the wood has given rise, to 

 the common local name of mahogany, or mountain 

 mahogany. It is used for furniture, often being 

 sold as "mahogany," and for flooring and interior 

 trimming; locally it, is prized as firewood. 



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