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YELLOW BIRCH. 
59 
PLATE LXXII. 
A branch with leaves and a barren ament of the natural size. Fig. 1, A seed. 
Fig. 2, A scale. 
YELLOW BIRCH. 
Betula lutea. B.foliis ovatis, acutis, serratis ; petiolis pubescentibus. 
, Betula excelsa. Aiton. 
This species, like the Canoe Birch, belongs only to the northern regions 
of the New World. It abounds especially in the forests of Nova Scotia, 
of New Brunswick, and of the District of Maine, where it is designated by 
no other name . than Yellow Birch. On the Western bank of the Hudson it 
is rare ; and in New Jersey and Pennsylvania only a few individuals of the 
species are met with, in moist and shady situations. It is confounded by 
the inhabitants of these States with the Black Birch, which is very abun- 
dant, and to which it bears a striking resemblance. 
In the District of Maine the Yellow Birch is always found on cool and 
rich soils, among the Ashes, the Hemlock Spruce, and the Black Spruce. 
In these situations it exhibits its amplest dimensions, which are 60 or 70 
feet in height, and more than 2 feet in diameter. The specific name of 
excelsa, which has been given to it, is injudicious, as it leads to an erro- 
neous opinion that it surpasses every other species in height. It is a beau- 
tiful tree, and its trunk is of nearly a uniform diameter, straight, and des- 
titute of branches for 30 or 40 feet. It is particularly remarkable for the 
color and arrangement of its epidermis, which is of a brilliant golden yel- 
low, and which frequently divides itself into very fine strips, rolled back- 
wards at the ends, and attached' in the middle. 
The young shoots, and the leaves at their unfolding are downy ; towards 
the middle of summer, when fully expanded, the leaves are perfectly smooth, 
except the petiole, which remains covered with a fine, short hair: they are 
about 3è inches long, and 2k inches broad, oval acuminate, and bordered 
with sharp and irregular teeth. The leaves, the bark, and the young 
