BIJA— BIRCH 141 



Bija. See Teak, Bastard. 



Billian or Borneo Iron Wood (Eusideroxylon Zwdgeri T. and B. : 

 Order LaurdcecB). British North Borneo. A very large tree. 

 W 67. Resembling Oak when newly cut, but with age or exposure 

 becoming black as Ebony. Very heavy and hard, strong and 

 durable, bearing exposure, resisting termites and the ship-worm. 

 The best wood in the Bornean and Chinese area for piles, beams, or 

 planks. 



Billy Web. See Ebony, American. 



Bilsted {Liquiddmhar styraciflua L.). See Gum, Sweet. 



Birch, Common, European, White or Silver [Betula alba L. : 

 Order Befuldcece), French " Bouleau commun," Germ. " Gemeine 

 Birke," Dutch " Berk," Danish " Birk," Swedish " Bjork," Russian 

 '' Bereza," Port, " Bettula," Span. " Abedul." ISTorthern Europe 

 and Asia. Height 40 — 50 ft. ; diam. 1| ft. S.G. fresh 909, dried 

 664. W 32—49. ft 2-3—10. fs -43. Yellowish or reddish-white 

 to light brown, the vessels so minute as to be almost imperceptible 

 to the naked eye, a smooth transverse section appearing as though 

 sprinkled with flour. Eings and pith-rays distinctly marked : 

 pith-flecks numerous near the centre : wood consisting of tracheae, 

 tracheids, fibres, fibre-cells, and parenchyma. Moderately hard 

 and heavy, even-grained, difficult to spHt, but easily worked, 

 neither strong nor durable, and liable to the attacks of worms. 

 Burrs are occasionally produced on the stem, with solid marbled 

 wood, valued by turners, and made into cups and bowls in Lapland. 

 In many countries on the Continent, Birch as the cheapest native 

 hardwood, is largely used for furniture and turnery : in France it 

 is largely used for felloes of wheels, cooperage, and sabots ; and in 

 the Scottish Blghlands for an infinity of purposes, including spoons 

 and plates, as in Russia. It is a valuable fuel in Northern Europe, 

 comparing with Beech as a heat-producer as 13 to 15. It also pro- 

 duces excellent crayon charcoal, and its coppice-wood is largely 

 used for brooms, hoops, and crate-making; for tanning leather; 

 for a yellow-brown, or, with alum, a brownish-red, dye ; and, when 

 burnt, for distilling Scotch whisky and smoking herrings and hams. 

 Birch timber is imported, mostly with the bark on, from Prussia 

 and the South of Sweden, to Grimsby, Hull, and Ireland ; but that 

 from Sweden is often crooked ; and the sapwood, especially if felled 

 in the spring, left on the ground, kept too long on the voyage, or 

 stored without ventilation, will become " doated " or foxed, under- 

 going, that is, a fungoid fermentation. A new industry has been 

 recently started in Russia in the manufacture of Birch three-ply 

 planks for export to India for tea-chests. The logs are cut rotarily, 

 as we have already mentioned in the case of Basswood, and three 

 thicknesses are then glued back to back with their grains crossing so 



