BIRCH FAMILY 
grown are dull dark green above, pale yellow green below ; midrib 
yellow, primary veins indistinct above but conspicuous and hairy 
below. In autumn they turn a clear bright yel- 
low. Petioles stout, hairy, deeply grooved 
above. Stipules ovate, pale green or nearly 
white, caducous. 
Flowers.— April, before the leaves. Stami- 
nate catkins form in late summer, during winter 
are three-fourths of an inch long. When the 
flowers open the catkins become three to four 
inches long, and in gencral appearance become 
bright yellow due to the abundant anthers. 
Seales ovate, bright red brown above the mid- 
dle, pale brown below.  Pistillate catkins from 
j one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, scales 
Sweet Birch, Befufa fevta. OVAte, pale green; styles exserted, slender, 
Strobiles erect, 1’ to pale pink, 
113/ long. fruit—Strobiles oblong-ovoid, smooth, ses- 
sile, erect, one to one and one-half inches long, 
one-half an inch thick. Scales smooth, with rounded or acute lat- 
eral lobes. Nut obovate, pointed at base, about as broad as its wing. 
The Black Birch which is a handsome tree with its tall dark stem, graceful 
fragrant branches and dark green foliage, is especially beautiful in early spring 
when its long staminate catkins hang from the leafless branches changing them 
for a few days into fountains of golden spray and making it the most conspicu- 
ous of the American birches. 
—CHARLES 5S. SARGENT. 
The names White, Black, and Yellow are often given to 
trees with very little justification, but in the case of the 
birches they express differences which are apparent to the 
most casual observer. The trunk of the White Birch is really 
white, the bark of the Yellow Birch is indeed yellow and that 
of the Black Birch is so dark that it may easily be considered 
black. The bark resembles in general appearance that of the 
common cherry tree, whence the name Cherry Birch, and like 
that of the other birches, it divides in lines running hori- 
zontally around the tree. On old trees it becomes very 
rough and clings in horizontal plates, loosened and often 
curled at one end. The inner bark is very fragrant and 
has a pleasant spicy taste. For this reason it is called 
Sweet Birch. The bark of the Yellow Birch is also aromatic 
but not to the same degree. This flavor is due to an essen- 
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