216 that', 



5 ; the fruit is winged at each 

 Bide, 6, and cut transversely, 7, 

 shows two circular chambers. 



a 



591. 



The most common species of 

 the birch in England, are the 

 white and the black. Of the white 

 birch there is a very beautiful 

 variety, sometimes called the lady 

 birch, or the weeping birch. Its 

 spray being slenderer and longer 

 than the common sort, forms an 

 elegant pensile foliage, resem- 

 bling the willow, and like it, is 

 put in motion by a breath of air. 



The stem of the birch is gene- 

 rally marked with brown, yellow, 

 and silvery touches, which are 

 peculiarly picturesque. But only 

 the stem and larger branches 

 have the varied colouring : the 

 spray is of a deep brown, which 

 is the colour, too, of the larger 

 branches, where the external rind 

 is peeled off. As the birch grows 

 old, its bark becomes rough and 

 furrowed. It loses all its various 

 tints, and assumes a uniform 

 hue. 



The bark of this tree has 

 the property, perhaps peculiar 

 to itself, of being more firm and 

 durable than the wood it invests. 

 Of this the peasants of Sweden, 

 Lapland, and other northern 

 countries, where birch grows in 



S it; 



abundance, take the advantage ; 

 and shaping it like tiles, cover 

 their houses with it. 



There is a delightful odour 

 given out by the birch, especially 

 after rain or heavy dew. It 

 arises from a fragrant gum, 

 which exudes from the leaves 

 and spray. A very pleasing and 

 refreshing beverage, called birch 

 wine, is made from the sap of 

 the tree, tapped in the same 

 manner as the maples in America. 

 Russia leather owes its agreeable 

 smell to a preparation made from 

 the bark of the birch. 



Though the people of more favoured places 

 rather despise the birch-tree, and leave it to 

 the turner, out of which to make some of the 

 smaller of his wares, or employ the shoots as 

 mop handles, and the twigs as. brooms, there 

 are situations in which it is among the most 

 valued and valuable productions of nature. 



In those parts of the Highlands of Scotland 

 where pine is not to be had, the birch is a 

 timber for all uses. The stronger stems are the 

 rafters of the -cabin ; Wattles of the boughs are 

 the walls and the door ; even the chests and 

 boxes are of this rude basket work. To the 

 highlander, it forms his spade, his plough, and, 

 if he happen to have one, his cart and his har- 

 ness ; and when other materials are used, the 

 cordage is still withies of twisted birch. These 

 birch ropes are far more durable than ropes of 

 hemp ; and the only preparation is to bark the 

 twig, and twist it while green. 



In ancient times, both in Britain and other 

 parts of Europe, strong and light canoes were 

 made of the touch bark of the birch ; and it is 

 still used for the same purposes in the northern 

 parts of America.* 



A great number of insects 

 feed upon the common birch. 

 Amongst them are numerous 

 butterflies and moths, beetles, saw 

 flies, and caterpillars. Various 

 fungi thrive upon the wood, 

 when it begins to decay ; and 

 the most poisonous of all the 

 tribe, the fly agaric, f is generally 

 found where birches are nume- 

 rous. 



Poplars are stately trees, im- 



* RhinH's History of the Vegetable Kingdom, 

 t Ayaricus Musette vs. 



