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USES. Beech wood splits and warps easily, nevertheless it's very widely used. It's 

 made into barrows, gun carriages, shovels, screws, etc. The shavings are used to clarify 

 wine. In England it's used for planks on ships. It's very good for heating, but it bums 

 quickly. Enormous amounts of beech wood are consumed in making wooden shoes. The 

 bark often substitutes for cork on fish nets. 



The fruit of the beech tree, called fame, tastes very much like hazelnut. Pigs, wild 

 animals, squirrels, dormice, etc. feed on it. An edible oil is extracted from it. The oil also 

 can be burned in lamps and can be stored for several years. 



CULTIVATION. Beech trees prefer clayey soil mixed with sand and with lots of 

 depth. Its seeds are planted in springtime and in the autumn. However, spring is the better 

 choice, because field mice are very fond of them. So the seeds should be stored in sand 

 during the winter. Beech trees aren't easily transplanted, so it's best to place them 

 permanently. 



KEY TO PLATE. 



750. Common beech. 1. Branch bearing both male and female flowers. 2.Ci 

 section of fruit. 



