332 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



haps, for its fine winter as well as sum- 

 mer effect it is best seen as a massed 

 woodland tree. Its colour changes much 

 during the growing season, being of a 

 light green at first, gradually becoming 

 darker as the season advances till its 

 autumn hues appear, when it assumes a 

 warm russet-brown colour. In fine au- 

 tumns especially its effect is as good as 

 that of any tree, its colour lasting longer 

 than that of many of the American trees. 

 A variety of the Beech has leaves of deep- 

 bronze or purple colour : it should be 

 used sparingly, and I only name it here 

 because it can be raised true, or nearly 

 so, from seed. Some which I have lately 

 planted in that way promise to take their 

 place among forest trees, and being seed- 

 lings we may look forward to some va- 

 riety as to colour. 



Loose, gravelly , and permeable soils 

 suit the Beech best when fed with fre- 

 quent rains ; stiff, moist, and swampy 

 soils are not so good, though we may see 

 it sometimes thriving in such land. The 

 chemical natureofthe soil is immaterial, 

 and fine Beech trees are met with upon 

 sand, granite grit, chalk, and light soils; 

 but chalky soils as of the Chiltern Hills 

 and South Downs suit it best. Left alone 

 its tendency is to oust other trees such 

 as the Oak, the Pine, and the Birch, and 

 in Denmark and Holland the Beech has 

 bit by bit overgrown all its rivals. 



The wood of the Beech is 

 white when freshly cut, but 

 takes a reddish tinge upon exposure, and 

 in seasoning becomes a uniform light 

 red colour, without any marked distinc- 

 tion between the sapwood and the hard 

 wood. In the heart of old and diseased 



trees it often takes a russet colour. The 

 grain is not close, and the wood is want- 

 ing in suppleness, apt to warp, liable 

 to become worm-eaten, and does not 

 polish well. Exposed to changes of heat 

 and moisture it does not last, but in 

 water, or in wet places, it is more dur- 

 able. Being easily worked it is used in 

 various industries such as cart-building, 

 chair-making, for clogs,and for turners', 

 joiners', and coopers' work. It is one of 

 those woods easily treated with preser- 

 vatives, and when so prepared is valued 

 for railway "sleepers." It has also an 

 important use as fuel, not that its heat- 

 ing capacity is higher than that of other 

 trees, but being abundant in many lands 

 itis more commonly used. It yields char- 

 coal which glows to its last ember, and 

 it is therefore esteemed in cookery and 

 in smelting industries. As firewood it is 

 good, and burns with a cheery flame, 

 the logs melting away sooner than those 

 of Oak. 



In the great forests of the continent 

 tall seedling trees are left here and there 

 to renew the forest when thegrown trees 

 are cleared off. Stocks of young trees 

 are usually abundant in forest nurseries, 

 and only upon the largest estates, or 

 where the soil is specially suited to the 

 tree, is it worth while to raise it from 

 seed. In woods where swine feed, quan- 

 tities of seed are often trodden into the 

 ground, and springing up help to its 

 renewal. 



References. — Mathieu, Flore Forestiere, 4th edition, 

 p. 314; Selby, British Forest Trees, p. 305; Loudon's 

 Arboretum Britannicum, vol. 3, p. 1950 ; Cobbet's Wood- 

 lands, par. 144 ; Boppee et Jolyet, Les Forets, p. 67 ; 

 D. Cannon, Semer et Planter, pp. 69 and 169 ; Hartig, 

 Diseases of Trees, p. 308 ; Evelyn's Silva, vol. 1, p. 131 ; 

 Nisbet, Forests and Woodlands, p. 130. 



