hess] THE BIRCHES 315 



stro: ~h the smooth white skin above. Where the two join, 



the smooth bark is parted in upright slashes, through which the 

 dark rough bark seems to swell up, reminding one forcibly of some 

 of the old fifteenth century German costumes, where a dark velvet 

 is arranged to rise in crumpled folds through slashings in white 

 satin." 



The wood is used in Europe for fuel and making furniture. It 

 is rather curious to find that the birch has been celebrated as an 

 instrument of chastisement since early Roman times. 



Gerard says that in his time "schoolmasters and parents do 

 terrify their children with rods made of birch" ; and Shenstone, in 

 the "Schoolmistress", has a pathetic little account of the fears of 

 small b: they matched the wind waving the branches of a 



birch tree growing by the schoolhouse, 



"For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew, 

 But their limbs shuddered, and their pulse beat low, 

 And, as they looked, they found their terror grew, 

 And shaped it into rods and tingled at the view." 



In northern Europe, the birch is principally used for fuel. 

 Russians eat with wooden spoons and wear wooden shoes, both 

 made of birch. They live in houses furnished with birch furnitur* 

 and shingled with slabs of birch bark. They strip and grind the 

 soft inner bark, and mix it with meal in their bread. Birds feed 

 upon its seeds in winter. Lopped trees send up suckers which are 

 cut and bound into birch brooms. Birch mead and wine are most 

 refreshing beverages. The birch bark yields tannin, a yellow dye, 

 and an oil which gives Russian leather its characteristic color 

 and odor. Swedish farmers look for the opening leaves of the birch 

 as a sign to sow their barley. In Parkinson's day the "physical 

 uses" of birch were few. But he adds: 



"Many other civill uses the Birch is put into, as first to decke up 

 Houses and arbours, both for the fresh greenesse and good sent it 

 casteth; it serveth to make hoopes to bind caskes withall; the 

 young branches being fresh are withered, and serve for bands unto 

 faggots ; of the young twigs are made broomes to sweepe our houses 

 as also rods to correct children at schoole, or at home, and was an 

 ensigne borne in bundles by the hictors or Sargeants before the 

 Consulls in the old Romans times, with which, and with axes borne 

 in the like manner, they declared the punishment for lesser, and 

 greater offenses, to their people." 



