Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-10-17
American nIrcbes.

How many people have ever planted one of
our native birches for ornament or use Inc
cut.leaved weeping birch and other European
varieties are not uncommon ornaments OF
our lawns, but our home species are rarely
seen out of the woods, and yet they are trees
of singular beauty and of the highest eco
nomic importance.
Our white biroh-Betula alba populifola-
is sometimes planted among evergreens,
where its glittering stems light up the dark
foliage about them in q wonderful way.
Downing long ago advised the planting of
this species on the border of heavy and deep
masses of ash, oak and maple. With dense
background the delicate LEAKAGE and spark
ling stems Of these trees are certainly seen to
advantage. But they are small and short
lived II has the narrowest geographical
range of any American species, extending
from the coast of Maine south to Delaware
and west to the shores of Lake Erie.
much larger and nobler tree is the canon
birch or paper birch, b. papyracea the north
ernmost of deciduous trees on this continent.
1t ranges from the north coast of Labrador
along the shores of Hudson bay and north
west to the valley of the Mckenzie and with
in the Arctic circle, and westward to Alaska.
10 the south it reaches Long Island, Penn
sylvania, central Michigan, central Minneso-
ia, the Black hills of Dakota, Montana and
the northern slope of Washington territory.
Its stem is of a chalky white, more smooth
aud beautiful than that of any foreign spe-
cies. II is a stronger grower aud longer
lived than the white birch, its leaves are
larger, thicker and its foliage altogether rich
er. Perhaps it would not take kindly to the
summer temperature of Philadelphia, but all
trees of wide geographical range have great
adaptabilty to varying climatic conditions
The wood is light and strong, valuable for
spools, shoe pegs and wooden ware. A gen.
tleman near Boston, who is making prepare
ton for extensive planting, finds that in his
nursery rows the canoe birch grows more
rapidly than any other tree.
The yellow birch-Betula leuta-is the
largest deciduous tree of our northern forests,
aud Is only exceeded in size by the white
pine among conifers. The wood is strong
and durable. 1t is largely used in the manu-
facture of agricultural implements, and none
of our hard woods make handsomer flooring
or cabinet work. 1t is n tree of striking
beauty, not only in its native woods, where
the great trunk of nearly uniform diameter
ris es 40 or so feet without a limb, but espe
cially in the open where its branches have
space to spread Everywhere 1t is a tree of
the grandest character and expression. In
the young trees the bark is of glossy am
Der, which peels off in pepery layers. This
young bark, which is fairly luminous in the
sunshine, retains its juvenile character until
the trees are foot in diameter, when it be-
comes an ash gray, lying in thin scales not
unlike some of the oaks. The yellow birch
grows from Newfoundland TO the north shore
of Lake Superior and southwark through the
northern states and along the Alleghenes to
| North Carolina.
The black or cherry birch-Betula lentG-
grows from Canada through the northern
states to the lake region and south along the
| Allegheny region TO northern Alabama and
! Florida. Its wood is heavy, close grained
and of o mahogany color which gives it great
value for cabinet work. 1t grows rapidly.
| The bark is of pleasing brown color and
the foliage cheerful green, and every part
| of the tree has an aromatic odor and flavor
with which every school.boy who hunts for
Sweet birch" in the spring is familiar
The red or river birch, Betula nigra, is a
tree of southern range, although it has been
found along the banks of the Merrimac in
Massachusetts. South of this it has moi
been found until it reappears again in New
jersey continuing to Florida and west tc
Missouri and Arkansas. 1t is common along
southern streams, where it attains noble pro
portions Its bark is of a cinnamon color
and the spray has dropping habit. 1t grows
rapidly in cultivation.
The western Dlrcn 10 small tree with tine
general light and graceful habit of the gen
ius. 1t ranges from British Columbia tC
northern California, then along the interior
mountains to Montana and the continenta
divide, and south to Utah and Colorado.
is found in mountain canyons, and is one o.
the most beautiful of the small trees which
fringe those streams. We have never seeI
it cultivated in the East-or anywhere else
for that matter-but there is little doubt thai
it would thrive here and make welcome ad
dition to our list of small trees.
Every one who meditates planting trees fo
profit will find it to his advantage to includ,
in his list of species one or more of the
birches. The wood is valuable now and i
will be worth more. The time was wheI
stock could not be obtained in any quantity
but we learn that Robert Douglas, the pion
eer grower of forest-tree seedlings, is already
prepared to furnish canoe birch and yellow
birch for considerable plantations. At al
events, the supply will come with the demand
and other nurserymen will make ready t.
furnish stock if it is called for.
There was never any lack of young native
birches in small lots for ornamental planting
That they have been SO generally neglected
would be surprising if it we're not remember
ed that in the opinion of many tree to b.
ornamental" must be imported, or at Least
1t must not be common or useful. And ye
it would be difficult to produce with trees any
more beautiful or distinct effects than coulC
be brought out by properly disposed group
of our native birches. -PhiLadelphid Press.