THE BIRCH. 
27 
the small twigs, the rough texture near the ground, and the 
exquisite silky smoothness of the tight white bands above, offer 
exactly that variety of contrast which makes us feel a rare 
quality like that smooth whiteness as strongly as we are capable 
of feeling it. And amongst the common effects in all northern 
Birch leaves and catkins. 
countries, one of the most brilliant is the opposition of birch 
trunks in sunshine against the deep blue or purple of a mountain 
distance in shadow. At all seasons of the year the beauty of 
the birch is attractive and peculiarly its own. The young beech 
may remind you of it occasionally under strong effects of light, 
and is also very graceful, but we have no tree that rivals the 
