184 



foniid only in the Mullen Trail of tlie Bitter Eoot Mountains and in tlie 

 region of Flathead Lake, Montana (eastward it ranges throngii the 

 norihern tier of States to the Atlantic coast, and far north of the United 

 States boundary from the Atlantic to the Pacific). Sixty feet or more 

 in height, with a trunk 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The wood is very close- 

 grained, hard, and strong, being employed quite extensively in turner^', 

 in the manufacture of paper-pnlp, and for fuel. The tough durable bark 

 separates readily into layers, and is often used for making canoes, etc. 



Bescripiion. — Leaves, ovate to broadly ovate, 2 to 3J inches long, 1| to 2^ inches 

 inches wide, with a ratlier long, narrow point, mostly abrupt or heart-shaped at the 

 base (sometimes slightly wedge-shaped), smooth and dark green above, and 

 with few hairs ou the veins below. Seed small, with two thin wings, borne in a 

 cylindrical scaly catkin I to 1^ inches long. Young branchlets often with numerous 

 dots. Bark of the trunk chalky-white. 



74. — Black Btrch. " Western Pogue-Birch." {BetuJa occidentalism 



Hooker.) 



Usually a small tree, 20 to 30 (exceptionally GO) feet in height and J 

 to 1 foot in diameter, growing abundantly in moist soil of mountain 

 canyons and along streams in the Rocky ?v[ountaius from northern Isew 

 Mexico to Montana (also on the Pacitic coast from the Sierra ]!!^eva- 

 das of central California to Washington Territory and north of the 

 boundary). It often forms dense thickets, a number of stems growing 

 close together, and producing a useful local supply of straight timber 

 for fencing, as well as for fuel. The wood is rather soft, but strong. 

 The bark separates readily into layers, and is sometimes used for canoes. 



Descrijplion. — Leaves generally quite small and thin, 1 to li inches long and 1 to 

 11 inches wide, ovate-lance-shaped to broadly ovate — sometimes orbicular — with an 

 acute, rounded, abrupt, or wedge-sliaped base, and witli a short or sometimes rather 

 long point; margin cut (occasionally loljod) with jL^landnlar-pointed teeth; mostly 

 smooth, or with few close hairs b.'low ; youn^; leaves iiairy : leaf stems slender, {r inch 

 long. Fertile catkins oblong or cylindrical, f to 1 inch long, with hairy three-pointed 

 scales (bracts); seeds with thin broad wing on two sides. Branches thickly dotted 

 with resinous spots, especially on the recent wood. Bark close, dark to light brown ; 

 when newly parted, pale copper-yellow. 



ALDERS. 



75. _^' White Alder." California Alder." {AJnus rJiomhifoliay 



Xuttall.) 



A small tree, seldom more than 30 feet in height and 1 foot in diame- 

 ter, or reduced to a shrub. It is found in northern Idaho and along 

 the valley of the Flathead River, northwestern Montana, growing mostly 

 ou the banks of streams (westward it ranges along the Pacific coast 

 from southern California to British Columbia). The wood is light, soft, 

 and brittle. 



