THE BEECH. 



341 



our timber trees^ but loses nearly a fourth of its 

 weight in drying. Though tolerably hard, it 

 is easily worked, and is applied to a great variety 

 of uses. The principal objection to it is, that it 

 is liable to be perforated by a small beetle. In 

 Scotland, Loudon informs us, the branches and 

 spray are distilled for producing pyroligneous 

 acid ; and the wood, branches, and twigs are much 

 used for smoking herrings. It will bear being 

 cut into very thin plates, and is consequently 

 much used for making the scabbards of swords. 

 In Evelyn's time, the art of cutting the wood into 

 these thin plates was not known in England, and 

 when discovered was long kept secret. The 

 neat-looking, but very inconvenient, basket for 

 holding strawberries, called a pottle, is made of 

 Beech. The same material was employed in the 

 days of Evelyn, who refers the custom to remote 

 antiquity. It is also preferred to every other 

 wood for making the wooden shoes called sabots, 

 worn by the French peasantry. By being dried 

 in the smoke of burning green wood, these ac- 

 quire the property of resisting the attacks of 

 insects. It forms an excellent fuel, and is no 

 less useful, when converted into charcoal, for the 

 manufacture of gunpowder. 



Beechen furniture has been made by poets, 

 both ancient and modern, the emblem of humble 

 rustic content : — 



" No wars did men molest 

 When only Beechen bowls were in request."* 



TiBULLUS. 



* " Nec bella fuerunt, 

 Faginus adstabat cum scyphus ante dapes." 



