BEECH

The Common Beech forms whole forests in many parts of Europe. Its bark is smooth and grey, and has knobs in it. Gra does not grow at all well under it, as it has not got deep roots; and the wood being brittle and liable to rot when exposed to the air, it is of little use to the house-carpenter but when kept under water it is very durable. It is; used for chairs, tables, wooden bowls, carpenters’ tools, etc. Berkhampstead is noted for its trade in beech turnery ware. In France it is used tor sabots. It makes good charcoal, and the ashes yield much good potash. Beechmast tastes like a walnut, and can be eaten (when the poison has been dried out of it) by pigs, poultry, and cattle, but not by horses. It yields a quantity of oil when pre ed. Cocoa is sometimes adulterated with it. Beeches grow from oc to 100 ft. in Britain. The finest is at New battle Abbey, Mid loth i an. The tree is found in Asia and North America, and in the latter country is called the White Beech. In Britain we have the Copper Beech. In the Falkland Islands the beech is used for roofing houses.