226 



A DISCOURSE 



being planted at four or five feet interval, in small twigs, will suddenly 

 rise to trees, provided they affect the ground, which cannot well be too 

 barren or spungy ; for it will thrive both in the dry and the wet, sand 

 and stony, marshes and bogs ; the water-galls, and uliginous parts of 

 forests that hardly bear any grass, do many times spontaneously produce 

 it in abundance, whether the place be high or low, and nothing comes 

 amiss to it. Plant the small twigs, or suckers having roots, and after the 



Paper Birch ; 3. Poplar-leaved Canada Birch ; 4. Low-growing Canada Birch. The liquor 

 flowing from wounds made in this tree is used by the inhabitants of Kamptschatka without 

 previous fermentation, in which state it is said to be pleasant and refreshing, but somewhat 

 purgative. In this manner the crews of the Resolution and Discovery used it during 

 their stay in the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul. The natives of Kamptschatka convert 

 the bark into domestic and kitchen purposes, and the wood is employed in the construction 

 of sledges and canoes. Kraschininikoff, in his " History of Kamptschatka," says, that the 

 natives convert the bark into a pleasant and wholesome food by stripping it off when it is 

 green, and cutting it into long narrow stripes, like vermicelli, drying it, and stewing it 

 afterwards along with their caviar. 



4. BETULA ( NIGRA J foliis rhombeo-ovatis acuminatis duplicato-serratis. Lin. Sp. 

 Plant. 1394. Birch-tree with rhomboid, ovaJ, pointed leaves, which are doubly sawed. Betula 

 nigra Vii'giniana, Pluk. Aim. 67. Black Virginia birch-tree. 



This being of foreign growth, is propagated for -wilderness and ornamental plantations; but 

 as it begins now to become pretty common, it is to be hoped it will soon make a figure 

 among our forest-trees, for it is equally hardy with our common Birch, and arrives at a much 

 greater magnitude. This species will grow to upwards of sixty feet in height. The branches 

 are spotted, and more sparingly set on the trees than the common sorts. The leaves are 

 broader, grow on long foot-stalks, and add a dignity to the appearance of the tree. There 

 are several varieties of this species, differing in the colour, size of the leaves, and shoots ; all 

 of which have names given them by nurserymen, who propagate the different sorts for sale ; 

 such as, — 1. The broad-leaved Virginian Birch; 2. The Poplar-leaved Birch; 3. The Paper 

 Birch; 4. The Brown Birch, &c. 



5. BETULA (alnvs) Pedunculis ramosis. Lin. Sp. PI. 1394-. In the Flor. Lapponic. 

 it is termed simply. Alms. The common alder. 



Linnaeus has thought proper to class this tree with the Birch ; but as Mr. Evelyn makes a 

 separate chapter of it, I have in this place oaly mentioned its botanical description. 



In the Linnasan System the Birch belongs to the class and order Monoecia Tetrandria, 

 there being male and female flowers separately on the same plant, the male having four 

 stamina. In general, the leaves are fully displayed by the beginning of April. The flowers 

 appear in blow about the twenty -seventh of the same month, and about the eleventh of 

 September the catkins are formed. 



There are two good ways of propagating this tree, either by layers or seeds. If from 

 seeds, they should be carefully gathered in the autumn, befm-e they di'op from their, scales. 



