4 
PARK AND CEMETERY, 
soil, and when it attains any considerable size it is 
very sensitive to root disturbance. It should be 
planted in a small state and the young wood well 
cut back. When it is well individualized and gets 
an opportunity to throw out its branches it is very 
- ornamental. 
The black birch, or sweet cherry birch, Betula 
lenta, well known in many country districts on ac- 
count of its sweet tasting branches, has a wide 
native range and is found growing from Georgia to 
Newfoundland, and is a very common tree of nor- 
thern forests. It is of great economical value, and 
largely used for choice cabinet work. It usually 
grows in a native state in much drier conditions 
than the yellow birch, and the leaves are generally 
about the size of the yellow birch. The bark is 
smooth, dark chestnut brown, and when it is in 
good condition it is an ornament to any grounds. 
Its beauty greatly impressed Michaux, who spoke 
of it “as being eminently adapted, from the beauty 
of its foliage and the agreeable odor of its flowers, 
to figure in parks and gardens.” It is with us about 
the most difficult of any of the birches to trans- 
plant successfully, if the trees are of considerable 
size. It is best transplanted in a small state and 
should be well cut back. 
The dwarf birch, Betula Pumila, which seldom 
grows over twelve feet tall, with small leaves, and 
which is found growing in a wild state in damp 
conditions far north, is somewhat straggling in 
habit. It seems to be well adapted for undergrowth 
in large plantations, and does well with us in or- 
dinary dry soil. 
Another dwarf birch, Betula nana, is found 
growing in damp conditions on the North American 
and Pmropean continents, and seldom grows over 
four or five feet tall. This will make a compact 
pretty little bush in time, and is not particular as 
to soil. 
The Japanese birch, Betula Maximowicziana, as 
an ornamental hardy tree, is perhaps one of the 
most important introductions of recent times. It 
was observed by Prof. Sargent in his travels in 
Japan in 1892, growing in the forests of Yezo, and 
was said to range from there northwards to Man- 
churia, and attaining a height of eighty or ninety 
feet, with beautiful, pale orange colored bark. The 
leaves are the largest of all the birches, and are 
from four to six inches in length, and from four to 
four and a half inches wide, and flutter beautifully 
on long slender stalks. Seedlings, raised from seed 
collected by Mr. Sargent, were disseminated from 
the Arnold Arboretum, Boston. The largest plants 
we have seen of this birch are in the Ellwanger & 
Barry nurseries, and are about fifteen feet in height. 
The plants in the Rochester parks are from five to 
six feet tall. It appears to be of easy cultivation. 
It would be well for nurserymen to make efforts to 
get up stock of this handsome tree. The trees first 
raised in this country must very soon be in a seed 
bearing condition. 
The Indian paper birch, Betula Bhojpattra, from 
the Plimalayas, with handsome heart-shaped leaves, 
is not uncommon in cultivation. It is not quite as 
hardy as some of the other birches. 
AX AVKXl'K OF BIRCHES. 
We thought we had Erman’s birch, Betula Ivr- 
mani, but it turned out when it developed to be 
Betula alba var. Japonica, a Japanese form of the 
Piuropean birch. At present the stems of this 
birch are -brownish red and the branches quite 
warty, and it promises to be quite ornamental. 
Birches, as a rule, once they are established, 
require very little pruning attention, and what little 
pruning they may at any time require, should bet- 
ter be done in late summer, as the wounds will heal 
over quickly, and they will not “bleed” as they 
will when they are cut in late winter or spring. 
John Dunbar. 
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Pinchot of New York City, 
and their sons Gifford Pinchot, Yale, ’89, Chief of 
the Division of P'orestry, Washington, and Amos 
R. E. Pinchot, Yale ’98, have provided a fund of 
$150,000 to found a school of Forestry at Yale 
University. The thanks of the country are due 
these generous donors for so wise a benefaction. 
