1704

ARBORETUM AND FRUTIETUM

PART III

trees. This is a very singular fungus ; it is composedof folds radiating from the centre, with a beautifullyradiated margin; it was found at Appin, in Argyllshire.Splue'ria multiformis Fries is also found on the birch.To this list may be added ^Igaricus muscarius L.{fig. 1555.), the fly agaric, the most poisonous of allthe genus, which is generally found in birch woods.It is highly narcotic, producing, in small doses, intox-ication and delirium, for which purpose it is used inKamtschatka; and, in larger doses, death. For a de-tailed account of its poisonous effects, see Roque’sHist, des Champ., p. 123.; and a paper by Dr. Greville,in the 4th vol. of the Wernerian Trans., from whichan extract is given by Dr. Lindley, Introd. to Nat.Syst. of Hot., p. 337. {Eng. FI., vol. v. p. 4.)

1555

Statistics. Recorded Trees. A weeping birch, at Ballogie, in the parish of Birse, in Aberdeenshire,measured, in 1798, 5 ft. in circumference at 4 ft. from the ground. It had a clear straight stem, about50 ft. high, of nearly equal thickness throughout; and the total height of the tree was supposed tobe about 100 ft. ( Stat. Hist ,, vol. ix. p. 129.) In the Forest of Tarnawa, in Morayshire, there areseveral birches which girt 9 ft, at 4 ft. from the ground. {Ibid., vol. viii. p. 557.) Sir Thomas DickLauder says that there are now many in the same forest which girt 10 ft. and 11 ft.; and he measuredone which girted 13 ft. at 3 ft. from the ground. {Lauder's Gilpin, vol. i. p. 283.) In France, in thetime of Du Hamel, there was a superb weeping birch at Ermenonville, which stood beside theTemple of Philosophy, in the park, and hung over part of the building.

Existing Trees. In the environs of London, in the Fulham Nursery, 40 years planted, it is 50 ft.high. In Dorsetshire, at Melbury Park, 50 years planted, it is 72 ft. high ; in Wiltshire, at WardourCastle, 40 years planted, it is 60 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2 ft., and that of the head 30 ft.In Scotland, in Haddingtonshire, at Yester, 80 yearsplanted.it is 73 ft. high, diameter of thetrunk 4 ft. Bin., and of the head 78 ft. ; in Forfarshire, at Kinnaird, 100 years planted, it is70 ft. high,the diameter of the trunk 3ft., and of the head 54 ft.; in Perthshire, at Taymouth, B. fdba pendulais 64 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft., and of the head 50 ft.; in Ross-shire, at Braha-n Castle,the species is 70 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft., and of the head 30 ft. In Ireland, in theGlasnevin Botanic Garden, 35 years planted, it is 36 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft., and of thehead 16 ft.; in Tyrone, at Baron’s Court, it is 60 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2 ft. 4 in., and of the head50 ft. In France, at Avranches, in the Botanic Garden, 19 years old, it is 49 ft. high, the diameterof the trunk 2$ ft., and of the head 20 ft. In Bavaria, in the Botanic Garden at Munich, 24 yearsplanted, it is 28 ft. high. In Austria, at Vienna, at Laxenburg, 25 years old, it is 20 ft. high. InPrussia, at Berlin, at Sans Souci, 35 years old, the species is 50 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk2 ft., and of the head 19 ft. In Sweden, at Lund, in the Botanic Garden, 52 ft. high, the diameter ofthe trunk 9in., and of the head 18ft. In Denmark, at Rosenburg, it is between 70 ft. and 80ft.high. In Russia, near St. Petersburg, at Rudets, on the estate of Madame Constantinoff’, 40 yearsold, it is 71 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 15 in. In Lombardy, at Monza, 24 years old, it is45 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft., and of the head 20 ft.

* 1 2. 5. dau'rica Pall. The Daurian Birch.

Identification. Pall. Ross., 1. p. 60.; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 463. ; Baum., p. 57. ; N. Du Ham., 3.p. 204.; Hayne Dend., p. 166.

Synanymes. B. excelsa canadensis Wang. Beitr., p. 86.; Bouleau de Siberie, Fr.

Engravings. Pall. Ross., 1. t. 39.; Willd. Baum., t. 1. f. 3. and 4.; and our Jig. ]556.

Spec. Char., $c. Leaves ovate, narrow at the base, quite entire, unequallydentate, glabrous. Scales of the strobiles ciliated on their margins; sidelobes roundish. {Willd. Sp. PL, iv. p. 463.) This spe-cies, according to Pallas, its discoverer, is closely alliedto B. alba, and is found along with that species in\

Dauria, and part of Asiatic Siberia; but it is not found**in European Siberia, nor in Russia. It does not growso tall as the common birch, and the trunk does notexceed 1 ft. in diameter. The bark is grey, cleft longi-tudinally, and divided into brown scales, that have theappearance of being burnt. The branches are moresubdivided, and more upright, than those of B. alba.

The leaves are broader, commonly smaller, on shorterpetioles, and unequally serrated. The stipules arelanceolate, grey, subpubescent, and deciduous. Themale catkins are produced at the ends of the twigs ofthe foregoing year, two or three together, larger thanin the common birch; the females are on the sametwigs, lateral, thicker, with larger and more roundedscales; the seed, also, is a little longer; but the mem-