1962

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

of M. Hartig, there are only the sycamore, the Scotch pine, and the ash, whichproduce more heat and light in burning than the beech. It is superior to theoak in this respect, in the proportion of 1540 to 1497; and its charcoal issuperior to that of the oak, as 1600 is to 1459. Charcoal is made in greatquantities from the beech, in Buckinghamshire, for the manufacture of gun-powder. The beech, burnt green, produces heat and light relatively to thebeech burnt dry, as 1181 is to 1540. These experiments of M. Hartig are,however, considered by some as not quite correct. The ashes of the beechare said by Bose to be rich in potash; but this is doubted by Baudrillart.Werneck found experimentally, that, out of 73 species of trees, there were 47,the ashes of the wood of which yielded more potash than the ashes of that ofthe beech. He found that 100 lb. of beech wood, burnt green, gave 1 lb. 4 oz.7 grains of this salt; but that 100 lb. of the bark and spray gave 1 lb. 10 oz.The bark, both in America and in Britain, is used for tanning, though it is con-sidered of no great value for that purpose. Monteath ranks it in the fifth place,along with that of the birch ; both of which, he says, are considerably weakerthan that of the Spanish chestnut, and not nearly equal to that of the oak.Evelyn says, “ Of old, they made their vasa vindemiatoria and corbes messoriae,as we our pots for strawberries, with the rind of this tree. Nay,” he adds,“ and vessels to preserve wine in; and that curiously wrought cup, which theshepherd, in the Bucolielcs, wagers withall was engraven by Alcimedon uponthe bark of the beech.” (Hunt. EveL, i. p. 135.) The leaves, gathered green,and dried, were formerly used in Britain, and still are in various parts of theContinent, for filling beds. Evelyn says that, “ being gathered about the fall,and somewhat before they are much frost-bitten, they afford the best and theeasiest mattresses in the world, to lay under onr quilts, instead of straw ; be-cause, besides their tenderness and loose lying together, they continue sweet forseven or eight years long; before which time, straw becomes musty and hard: they'are thus used by divers persons of quality in Dauphine; and, in Switzerland, Ihave sometimes lain on them to my very great refreshment. So as, of this tree itmay properly be said, ‘ Silva domus, cubilia frondes.’ Juv. The wood as house,the leaves a bed.” (Ibid., i.p. 137.) “We can,” says Sir Thomas Dick Lauder,after quoting this passage, “from our own experience, bear testimony to the truthof what Evelyn says here, as to the excellence of beech leaves for mattresses.We used always to think that the most luxurious and refreshing bed was that whichprevails universally in Italy, and which consists of an absolute pile of mattressesfilled with the elastic spathe of the Indian corn; which beds have the advantageof being soft, as well as elastic ; and we have always found the sleep enjoyed onthem to be peculiarly sound and restorative. But the beds made of beechleaves are really no whit behind them in these qualities, whilst the fragrantsmell of green tea, which the leaves retain, is most gratifying. The objectionto them is the slight crackling noise which the leaves occasion, as the indivi-dual turns in bed: but this is no inconvenience at all, or, if so in any degree,it is an inconvenience which is much overbalanced by the advantages of thismost luxuriant couch.” (Laud. Gilp., i. p. 103.) As beech leaves are verylong in decaying, they are valuable in gardening, for protecting herbaceousplants from frost, or mulching round the steins of half-hardy trees andshrubs.

The Catkins of the male Flowers, after they have dropped from the tree,are, at Claremont in Surrey, and some other places where the tree abounds,gathered by gardeners, dried, and laid up in a dry loft for packing fruit in, whichis to be sent to a distance. They are also used for stuffing pillow-cases,cushions, &e.

The Fruit, the nut of which is called beech mast in England, and la fame inFrance, has a taste somewhat approaching to that of the hazel nut. It formsan excellent food for swine; but the flesh of those that have been fattened onit does not keep so well as that of swine which have been fed on acorns. Thefat, also, is more oily, and, w T hen boiled, is apt to waste in the pot. Beech mastis much sought after by wiki animals, particularly by badgers, which it fattens