BIRCH. Betula The birches are mostly na tives of northern latitudes, or elevated situations, generally above latitude 40°, and extending well up toward the arctic circle. The foliage is gen erally thin and light, and the whole tribe are grace ful, and some of them elegant. The Black (sweet) or Cherry Birch (B. lenta) is one of the hand somest and most valuable for its timber. It is widely distributed from New England West, well up in Canada, and south along the mountain ranges. It grows to a height of sixty or seventy feet, and some trees two to.three feet in diameter; a most excellent fuel and most valuable for cabi net work. It likes a rich soil, such as is suited to the Sugar Maple, and ripens its seed in late autumn. The seeds of all the birches should be kept moist and .cold until sown, and thinly cov ered and moist until they germinate. Red Birch (B. nigra), also called River Birch, is found ou the banks of rivers, growing to a lofty stature and often two feet iu diameter. It is fouud in the warmest situations of any of the birches, and its -wood is similar in quality to the Yellow Birch. The seeds ripen in June and should be sown be fore they become fully dry. The Yellow Birch (B. eiTelsa) is a handsome-growing tree far north, with a straight trunk, usually found in cool, moist soils. The wood is strong and fine grained and much used for turning, also for furniture. It does well on prairie soils, except dry, sandy or gravelly soils. The Canoe Birch (B. papyracea), also called Paper Birch, is found north of 40° aud well north in the British possessions where it attains great size. It is most valuable and highly prized for the many uses its bark may be put to; is an ornamental tree, and thrives in most situations, growing rapidly. The seeds ripen in July and should be sown immediately. The
White Birch (B. populifolia) is a small tree, but ornamental, growing in waste barren soils. The European White Birch is often planted for orna ment, and thrives in the most barren soil. Some of the cut-leaved varieties are highly ornamentaL The Cut-leaved Weeping Birch, of which we give an illustration, being among the handsomest. The birches have been sung by many poets. Coleridge calls it— "—most beautiful Of forest trees,—the lady of the wood." • Bryant says: " The fragrant birch above him bung Her tassels in the sky, And many a vernal blossom sprung, And nodded careless by." The following are varieties of the birch family (the alders belonging to this group) not men tioned above. Western Birch (Betula occiden tails), Rocky mountains. This species is a small tree, rarely over twenty-five feet high and six inches in diameter. It is found in the Rocky mountains, along streams in Colorado, Utah, etc. Speckled Alder (Alnusincana), northeastern United States. It is a shrub, or very small tree, growing along streams in New England, New York, and northward, and of no particular value. California Alder (Alnus rhombifolia), California_ Oregon Alder (Alnus Oregona), California and Oregon, quite often become large trees, sixty to eighty feet high, with trunks two feet in, diameter. We give herewith a cut of a lovely weeping birch. This is a variety of the white birch, first exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1867, and must be grafted on another stock. The branches, as will be seen, run directly parallel with the stem, and directly to the ground; and its unique habit, elegant form and beautiful foliage, renders its name decidedly appropriate, and one of the prettiest objects for a small lawn.