BETULA 



OAK, BEECH, AND BIBCE OBDEB betula 795 



B. glandulosa. — A handsome Canadian 

 shrub, only 2-3 ft. high, having smooth 

 gland-dotted branches, and almost stalk- 

 less obovate serrate leaves, quite entire 

 at the base. Flowers in May, whitish ; 

 female catkins oblong. Useful for hills, 

 mounds, knolls &c. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. humilis. — A pretty little Birch 

 about 4 or 5 ft. high, native of the N. 

 temperate parts of the Old and Nevi^ 

 World. Leaves obovate, rounded and 

 coarsely toothed at the apex, but nar- 

 rowed and entire at the base, and much 

 larger on the non-flowering branches. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. lenta (B. ca/rpmifoUa). — Sweet 

 Cherry Birch. — A handsome N. American 

 tree 70-80 ft. high with heart-shaped ovate 

 sharply serrate and taper-pointed leaves, 

 with hairy stalks and nerves. Flowers 

 in May and June, greenish-white. This 

 tree 3delds a valuable timber, and its 

 leaves are said to make an agreeable tea. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. lutea {B. excelsa). — Yellow Birch. 

 A native of Nova Scotia 70-80 ft. high, 

 with broadly ovate acute and serrate 

 leaves about 3J in. long, on downy stalks. 

 Flowers in May, greenish-white. The 

 timber is used m shipbuilding. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. Maximowiczi. — A handsome quick- 

 growing Birch, native of Japan, where it 

 forms a shapely tree 80-90 ft. high with a 

 trunk 2-3 ft. in diameter, covered with 

 a pale smooth orange-coloured bark. 

 The deep green shining leaves are very 

 large, being 7-8 in. long and 5-6 in. wide, 

 with irregularly and coarsely toothed 

 margins. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. nana. — A native of Scotland and 

 N. Europe, 1-3 ft. high, with roundish 

 crenate leaves, distinctly net - veined 

 beneath. Flowers in April and May, 

 whitish-green ; female catkins erect 

 stalked cylindrical. The variety pendula 

 has drooping branches. May be used in 

 the same way as B. glandulosa. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. nigra (B. rubra). — Bed Birch. — 

 A native of the United States 60-70 ft. 

 high with rhomboid ovate doubly serrate 

 acute leaves, entire at the base, downy 

 on the under surface. Flowers in May, 



greenish-white, the female catkins being 

 straight and nearly cylindrical, about 

 2 in. long. This species is often called 

 the Black Birch, but that name is more 

 correctly applied to B. occidentaUs. 



Culture dc. as above. This tree 

 flourishes in moist situations, and is suit- 

 able for planting by the banks of lakes, 

 rivers, streams, &o. It is easily recog- 

 nised by the bark, which peels off in flakes 

 and gives the trunk a ragged appearance. 



B. occidentalis (Black Birch). — A 

 graceful N. American Birch 20-40 ft. high, 

 with slender drooping branches covered 

 with dark shining bark. The rather duU 

 green leaves are broadly ovate and point- 

 ed at the apex, the margins being fur- 

 nished with sharp teeth. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. papyracea. — A fine N. American 

 tree 60-70 ft. high, with very flexible 

 branches, and ovate taper-pointed doubly 

 serrate leaves, having smooth stalks and 

 hairy nerves beneath. Flowers in May 

 and June, greenish-white ; the female 

 catkins drooping on long stalks. There 

 are several varieties of this species, but 

 all are remarkable for the beautiful white- 

 ness of the stems, which retain their 

 colour longer than those of B. alba, 

 and are somewhat smoother. 



Owing to the wood having been used 

 for making canoes in N. America, and the 

 bark for paper, the tree is known as the 

 ' Canoe ' and ' Paper Birch.' 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. populifolia (Camadian WliiteBirch). 

 A Canadian tree about 30 ft. high, closely 

 resembling the Common British Birch in 

 habit, but less vigorous in growth. Leaves 

 deltoid, very much tapering, quite smooth 

 and unequally serrate. Flowers in April 

 and May, greenish-white. The variety 

 laciniata has large shining green, deeply 

 out leaves. 



Culture dc. as above. 



B. pumila. — A beautiful Canadian 

 shrub, 2-3 ft. high, with downy xmdotted 

 branches, and long-stalked roundish-ovate 

 leaves, densely hairy beneath. Flowers 

 in May and June, whitish; the female 

 catkins cylindrical. Useful for planting 

 on hUls, mounds, knolls &c., Mke glandu- 

 losa and ■nana. 



Culture dc. as above. 



