BEECH OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 45 



varieties with variously cut leaves, the most important being 

 the purple and copper-coloured kinds, which form ornamental 

 trees in shrubberies. 1. The Eusty-leaved Beech {Fagus ferru- 

 ginea), a large tree, native of North America. In some parts of 

 Nova Scotia the country for miles in extent is occupied by this 

 beautiful tree, and in autumn large droves of hogs are driven 

 out to feed upon the nuts. Its wood is somewhat of a reddish, 

 rusty hue, and is employed for many purposes. 2. Evergreen 

 Beech {Fagus betuloides), a large tree, native of Terra del Puego. 

 It has small leaves like birch, but firmer. It was first noticed 

 by Sir Joseph Banks, in Captain Cook's first voyage. It is 

 said to be the most southern large tree in the world. Its 

 size principally depends on the place of growth. In sheltered 

 valleys it attains a considerable height, with a diameter of 7 

 feet, while on the exposed heights of Hermit Island the 

 branches are so compact and nearly flat on the ground that it 

 can be walked over. 3. Fagus antarctica, also a large tree, 

 native of Terra del Fuego, but differing from the preceding in 

 the leaves being deciduous. These two last species were intro- 

 duced to the Eoyal Gardens, Kew, in 1841, and great hopes 

 were entertained that they would prove hardy and become 

 useful and ornamental trees; but such proved not to be the 

 case, for although a plant of F, ietuloides grew in the open air 

 for twenty years and attained the height of 8 feet, it nevertheless 

 succumbed to the cold of January 1867. 4. F, Gunmngliainn, 

 a large tree, native of Tasmania ; its wood has a brownish, satiny 

 ground, with beautiful feathery cross veins, and makes a hand- 

 some wood for cabinet-work. It is known as Tasmanian Myrtle. 

 5. F. fusoa and F. Solandri, large trees, natives of New Zealand 

 The woods are employed for many piu?poses. The latter is known 

 by the name of White Birch. 



Beech Fungus {Gyttaria Darwinn) is a globular, bright 

 yellow fungus. When young, it is elastic and turgid, with a 

 smooth surface, but when mature it shrinks, becomes tougher, 

 and has its entire surface deeply pitted or honeycombed. It 

 grows on the beech trees of the southern hemisphere in Terra 



