340 



THE BEECH. 



all the year long, wliicli is a verv beautiful sight 

 when the leaves of the taller trees are fallen." 

 Strutt also observes that the Beech is of that 

 encroaching and dominant nature, that a vv'ood 

 which may have been originally in equal pro- 

 portions of Oak and Beech, vrill in course of 

 time become entirely Beeches. 



The leaves of the Beech may be applied to a 

 very useful purpose, even after they have ceased 

 to afford their summer's shelter. Evelyn says, 

 that, being gathered about the fall, and some- 

 what before they are much frost-bitten, they af- 

 ford the best and easiest mattresses in the world 

 to lay imder our quilts instead of straw : because, 

 besides their tenderness and loose lying together, 

 they continue sweet for seven or eight years, 

 long before which time straw becomes musty 

 and hard. They are often thus used by divers 

 persons in Dauphine ; and in Switzerland I have 

 sometimes lain on them to my great refreshment." 

 Modern travellers state that in those countries 

 they are still applied to the same purpose. 



The nuts of the Beech are rarely used in 

 England except for fattening swine and poultry ; 

 but in Trance an excellent oil is manufactured 

 from them, which is extensively employed both 

 for culinary purposes and for burning ; in Silesia 

 it is used by the country people instead of butter. 

 A similar application of Beech mast has been 

 projected in England, but appears never to have 

 been carried into effect. A certain speculator in 

 the reign of George the Eirst proposed a scheme 

 for paying off the national debt with the oil of 

 Beech nuts ! 



The green wood is heavier than that of any of 



