BEECH TREE. 



39 



Mr. White speaks of the Beech as one of the most 

 grand and lovely of all the forest-trees : — " Whether we 

 consider its stately trunk,"' said he, " its smooth, silvery 

 rind, its glossy fohage, or its graceful, spreading, and 

 pendulous boughs.'" 



It is considered as a handsome tree to stand alone, on 

 account of the regidar growth of its branches. Gilpin 

 says it is not picturesque ; and in landscape, perhaps, it 

 is less so than many. To appreciate the beauty of the 

 Beech, we should walk in a wood of them ; they continue 

 green as long as any of the deciduous trees, and a young 

 Beech has a sunny green that seems almost to contain its 

 own light ; it looks as if it were independent of sunshine, 

 and would preserve its colour in the deepest darkness of 

 midnight. In winter, the leaves become brovm or orange- 

 coloured; and it has been observed, that some of the 

 finest oppositions of tint have been produced by the union 

 of this tree with the oak at that season. Its smooth, gray 

 bark, too, is usually scattered with mosses and hchens of 

 various hues, which form beautiful contrasts. 



Beech-wood is used for purposes innumerable ; among 

 others, for the sounding-boards of musical instruments : 



The soft Beech 



And close-grained Box employ the turner's wheel ; 



And with a thousand implements supply 



Mechanic skill." Dodsley. 



In some places, the leaves are used instead of straw, 

 for mattresses. The nuts, or mast, are greedily devoured 

 by mice, birds, and squirrels ; they are said, when fresh, 

 to occasion giddiness and headach ; but when dried and 

 powdered, to make wholesome bread. Roasted, they 

 have been substituted for coffee. In Siberia, the poor use 



