THE BEECH, CHESTNUT, AND OAKS 



there are two species of beech. Michaux ac- 

 cepted this theory, which has since become ob- 

 solete. The nuts are sweet and edible, and are 

 sold in Canada and some of the Western and 

 Middle States. 



The generic name, Fagus, comes from the 

 Greek pliago (to eat), in allusion to the nuts, 

 which have always been used as food. 



The beech is found from Nova Scotia to 

 Florida and west to Texas. 



„ A large tree with spreading 



Beech branches and a smooth, gray 



Fagus sylvaiica ^^^^^j^_ ^^^^^ nmrow and sharp- 

 pointed. Twigs slender, smooth, and reddish 

 brown in color, with alternate leaf-scars. 



Although the beech stands alone in having 

 no other tree like it, yet it is extremely difficult 

 to tell the American beech from the European 

 species which is planted commonly in our parks 

 and gardens. The bark of the European beech 

 is a darker gray in color, its buds are grayer 

 than those of the American, and the inner scales 

 of the bud have a tendency towards being more 

 hairy along their edges; for the rest we must 

 trust to our intuition in telling the trees apart, 

 unless we are in the woods and know that there 

 the only indigenous beech is the American. 



From the time of Virgil the praises of the 

 79 



