CHAP. CIV.

RETHLa'cEA:. I/e'i'UI.A.

1697

not a sufficient footing for their roots, and became an easy prey to winds.In these places, Maupertuis found as many trees blown down as standing. Heexamined several of them, and was surprised to see that, in such as had lainlong, the substance of the wood was entirely gone, but the bark remained ahollow trunk, without any signs of decay’’ (Gilpin’s Forest Scenery, vol. i.p. 71.) In the mines of Dworetzkoi, in Siberia, a piece of birch wood wasfound changed entirely into stone ; while the epidermis of the bark, of a satinywhiteness, and shining, was exactly in its natural state, perfectly well pre-served, and without being coloured by the iron. It would be difficult, saysthe relater of this fact in the Nouveau Du Hamel, to find a more striking proofof the durability of this thin pellicle, so light and so delicate in appearance, andwhich the ancients used with so much propriety instead of paper, before theinvention of that material. The buds and leaves, in early spring, abound ina resinous matter, an aromatic and agreeable fragrance from which may beperceived at a considerable distance from the tree; and the leaves, whenbruised, whether in a recent or dried state, are also bitter and aroma-tic. The wood is employed by wheelwrights, in France, for the felloesof wheels ; and, in the interior of Russia, in the construction of small rusticcarriages.- the felloes of the wheels are sometimes made of one entire stemof a young birch tree, bent by heat, and retained in its place by ties of thespray. On the Continent, chairs, and many kinds of furniture, are made ofbirch wood; and many articles of cooperage, turnery, &c. Sabots are alsomade of it; but they are not so good as those made of alder, and several otherkinds of wood, admitting the water when they grow old. For cabinet-making,the birch is of little use till it has attained the age of sixty or eighty years; atwhich age it is little liable to warp, or to be attacked by worms. The tree oc-casionally produces knots of a reddish tinge, marbled, light, and solid, but notfibrous; and of these, which are much sought after by turners, cups and bowlsare made by the Laplanders with their knives. The young shoots andbranches make hoops, brooms or besoms, and ties for faggots, baskets, wickerhurdles, and other purposes to which the hazel or the basket-willow is ap-plied ; and, when peeled, are used for making whisks for frothing up syllabubs,creams, and chocolate. Birch hoops are very durable, from the conservativeinfluence of the bark.

In Poland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, and Lapland, small bundles of thetwigs, which have been gathered in summer, and dried with the leaves on, areused in the vapour-baths, by the bathers, for beating one another’s backs, inorder to promote perspiration. The inhabitants of the Alps make torches ofthe branches ; and the Highlanders, candles of the bark, twisted into a rope-like form. Sandals are also made of it, and thin pieces of the epidermis areplaced between the soles of shoes, or in the crown of the hat, as a defenceagainst humidity. The bark is used as coping to walls, and is placed over themasonry of vaults under ground, as lead is in England, to prevent the moisturefrom the soil from penetrating through it. It is even wrapped round sills andthe lower parts of posts, and other pieces of wood inserted in the ground, orresting on it, to preserve them from decay. The charcoal of the birch is muchin demand for making gunpowder, and for crayons. The leaves are bitterto the taste, and not willingly eaten by any animals, except rabbits andgoats ; but, when, they are young and fresh, they may be given to cattle andsheep ; and they are dried for this purpose throughout a great part of Sweden,Norway, and Lapland. Medicinally, the leaves are said to be resolvent anddetersive; and it is added, that persons afflicted with rheumatism, sleepingon a bed stuffed with birch leaves, experience a perspiration which affords themgreat relief. A yellow colour is obtained from them, which is used for paintingin distemper, and for dyeing wool. The buds and the catkins afford a kind ofwax, analogous to that of bees. The ashes are rich in potash: 1000 lb.weight of wood, burnt green, will give 101b. 12 oz. of ashes, which will afford1 lb. 4 oz. of potash. In this respect, the birch occupies the 55th place in alist of 73 trees. In the birch, as in all other trees, the potash is most abun-

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