BET 



C. i8,) tliat the Gauls exlraiJted a kind of bitumen out of 

 bird). The inner white cuticle and filken bark, which ftrips 

 oiT of itfclf almoft yearly, was anciently uiVd for \r. i-.ing 

 tables, before the invention of paper ; and w ith the 01:1 .vard, 

 thicker, and ooarfer part are covered divers hoiifes in Kufiia, 

 Poland, and other northern trafts, inllead of flates znJ tile; 

 and inASweden, the poor have even ground the bark to min- 

 ^\e with their bread corn. From tlie accounts ol n;ore mo- 

 dern writers we learn, thnt the wood of birch, which Is very 

 white, is ufed for wonien'3 fhoe-hcels and p .'.tens, and for 

 packing-cafes. It is planted along with hazleto m;;kf char- 

 coal for forges ; and in the northern parts jf Lancafhire. and 

 in the vicinity of London, beloms are made with it^ tv\igs, 

 for honie confumption, and alio for exportation. The twigs 

 fmeared with birdlime are alfo ufed by the fowlers ; and m 

 Norway they are given to Ijorfes, when fodder is fcarce. 

 The bark is lerviceable in dying wool yellow, and in fixing 

 fugacious colours ; for which piirpofe it fhould be ufed di-)', 

 and trees of 18 or 20 years growth fnould be dilbarkrd at the 

 time when tlie fap is flowing. 'J'he Highlanders of Scotland 

 ufe the bark for tanning leatlier, and for making ropes ; and 

 they fometimes burn the outer rind inllead of candles. InNor- 

 vay it is dried, ground, and mixed with meal, and boiled up with 

 other food for Iwine, who thrive much upon it. The outer 

 bark, as it efcapes putrefaftion in the damped; places, is em- 

 ployed for covering the roofs of houfes, ufed on a layer of 

 turf three or four inches thick. The inner bark is applied 

 by the Norwegians for tanning hides, for fidiing-netf, and 

 for fails. With the fragments dexteroufly braided the Lap- 

 landersmake fhoes and bafliets, and they ufe large pieces of 

 it for outer garments to keep off thcraia. In Kamtfchatka, 

 they convert it into hats and drinking cups. The wood was 

 foimcrly ufed by the Scots Highlanders for their arrows, but 

 it is now employed by the hoop-benders and wheelwrights, 

 and for a variety of rullic implements. The turner ufes it for 

 trenchers, bowls, ladles, &c. ; and that which is of a proper 

 iiic ferves for gates, rails. Sec. In France it is generally ufed 

 for wooden {hoes. It alfo affords good fuel, and fome of the 

 bell charcoal ;^ and the foot is a good lamp-black for printer's 

 ink. 'J"lie fmall branches ferve tiie Highlanders for hurdles, 

 and for fide-fences to their houfes. Moxa is made of the yel- 

 low tungous excrefcenccs of the wood, which fometimes 

 fwell out from the fiflures. Tlie leaves afford good fodder 

 to horlcs, kine, flicep, and goats. The feeds are the fa- 

 vourite food of the liikin ; and the tree fupphes a variety of 

 infeds with food. 



The vernal fap of the birch-tree pofFeffes a faccharine 

 quality, and has been ufed both in a fermented and unfer- 

 menttd flate, as a wholefume diuretic wine. It was for- 

 merly in great repute againfl all nephritic diforders ; but has 

 been difcarded from the modern praftice. Van Helmont 

 extols a drink prepared with this juice, daucus-fecUs and 

 brook-hme. Mr. Boyle fays (Work, Abr. vol. i. p. 51. 

 vol.iii. p. 338.), that he has feen extraordinar)' medicinal 

 effecls of the juice itfelf, even when otiicr remedies failed ; 

 and accordingly he provided himfelf with a quantity of it 

 every fpring. He fays, it may be eafily preferved by pour- 

 ing a httle oil on the top of it, or by dillillation ; but the 

 bed way is to impregnate it with the fumes of fulphur. The 

 juice has been ufed for wine, and alfo for brewing, being in 

 the latter cafe employed in lieu of water ; and it is laid (Phil. 

 Tranf. N° 46. p. 963.), that a barrel of malt will afford as 

 much, and as good ale, as four with common water. In 

 order to obtain this juice, let holes be bored in the bodies of 

 the larger trees, about the beginning of March, while the 

 fap is riling, and before the leaves flioot out, and in thefe 

 holes dx. foffcts of elder flicks, cleaned of their pith, placing 



B E T 



vcfTels under them to receive the liquor. A large tree may 

 be tapped in four or five places at a time ; and from feveral 

 trees may be drawn in this way feveral gallons of juice in a 

 day. If a fufiicient quantity be not obtained in the day, 

 what has been gained may he refervcd by bottling it up 

 ciofely till more be procured ; but the fooner it is boiled tlie 

 better. It has been obfcrved, that in the fpace of 12 or 14 

 days as much juice may be obtained from one tree, as will 

 outweigh the whole tree, body, and roots. And Evelyn, 

 in his " Sylva," (Hunter's edition, p. 2^^.) inform.s us, tliat 

 a great diflerence is found between the efficacy of that liquor 

 which diflils from the bole, or parts of the tree nearer the 

 roots, and that part which flows from the higher branches ; 

 the former being mere crude and watery, and the latter more 

 pure and refined. When the fap is obtained, boil it as long 

 as any fcum arifcs, and well fl<im it during the operation. 

 To every gallon of liquor add four pounds of fugar, and 

 boil it afterwards half an hour, well flcimming it ; then put 

 it into an open tub to cool, and when cold turn it into a 

 caflv. When it has done working, bung it up clof;, and 

 keep it three months ; then either bottle it ofl, or draw it 

 out of the cnllc, when it is a year old. 



The birch, independently of the ufes to which its va- 

 rious parts have been applied, merits culture in parks and 

 ornamental woods for the fake of variety ; its llraight fleni, 

 fmooth and white bark, and neat fohage, exhibit a piftu- 

 rcique appearance, when properly placed here and tlicre in the 

 openings, fo as to fhew the foliage and hanging down of the 

 twigs, or with'n to difplay its filvery bark through the gloom : 

 and, befiiics, its fragrant fmell after rain, jul>ly entitles it to a 

 place in the wildcrncfs. Moreover, the birch-tree delcrves 

 cultivation, becaufe it will grow to advantage upon barren 

 land, where better trees will not tlirive. It will flourilh in 

 moill fpungy land, in dry gravel and fand, where the hulace 

 is {hallow ; and upon ground, producing only mofs, thefe 

 trees have fucceeded fo well, as to be fit for cutting in ten 

 years after planting, and to yield a confiderable profit at a 

 fmall expeoce. Of this fpecies there are feveral varieties. In 

 the variety /3, the twigs of young trees are erett,but being {len- 

 der and pliant, they arc apt to become pendent with age ; and 

 hence proceeds a variety no lefs beautiful than the weeping 

 w'.Uow. y, is a remarkable variety found in Dalecarlia, and 

 dcfciibcd as having leaves alinofl palmate, with the fegmeiits 

 toothed. Other varieties of a trifling nature, with flight 

 differences in the {hape of the leaves, are mentioned by Liii- 

 rius in his Flora fuecica. 



2. B. ni^rn, black Virginia birch-tree. Lin. Spec. 1394. 

 Reich. 4. 126. Grertn. frudl. 2. 54. t. 90. Gron. Virg. 188. 

 146. Raii Dendr. 12. n. 2. Ait. Hort, Kew. 3. 336. 

 " Leaves rhomb-ovate, acute, doubly ferrate, piibefcent un- 

 derneath, entire at the bafc ; fcdles of the flrobiles villofe, 

 fegments hnear, equal." This fpecies being of foreign 

 growth, is propagated for wlldernefs and ornamental planta- 

 tions ; but as it now begins to be more common, it is to be 

 hoped that it will foon make a figure among our forefl trees. 

 It is equally hardy with our common birch, and attains to a 

 much greater magnitude, as it grows to upwards of 60 feet 

 in height. The branches are fpotttd, and more fparingly 

 fet on the trees than tliofe of the common fort. The leaves 

 have their larger ferratures more deep and remote, befides 

 feveral very firall, fine, crowded ones ; they are broader, grow 

 on long foot-flalks, and add a dignity to the appearance of 

 the tree. The twigs are pubefcent, and the petioles villofe. 

 A native of Virginia and Canada ; and introduced into Kew 

 gardens in 1736, by Peter Collinfon, Efq. 



It is very defirable in pleafure -grounds, as it is the firft tree 

 m the fpring which prefcnts us with leaves, which are of a 



light 



