Fagus grandifòlia Ehrhart. Beech. [Plate 38.] Large tall trees with bark from light to dark gray; twigs densely covered at first with long hairs, soon becoming glabrous and turning to a reddish-brown; terminal winter buds about 2 cm. long; leaves ovate to ovate-oblong, long taper-pointed to merely acute, wedge-shape to cordate at base, regularly and usually minutely serrate, average blades 7-12 cm. long, silky when young, becoming at maturity glabrous above and nearly so beneath except on the veins; flowers appear in May; fruit a bur, supported on a club-shaped pubescent peduncle about 1.5 cm. long, covered with short recurved prickles, densely rufous-pubescent, its 4-valves enclosing the two triangular brown nuts; nuts edible; wood very hard, strong, usually tough, difficult to season, close-grained, takes a high polish, sap wood white, heart wood reddish.
Distribution.—Nova Scotia, southern Ontario to Wisconsin, south to the Gulf States and Texas. It is found in every county of the State, although it is local in the prairie and dry sandy regions of the northwestern part of the State. It is a frequent to a very common tree on the high ground in many parts of the State. If the high ground and hills of the State are not forested with white and black oak, beech is almost certain to be the prevailing species. Wherever beech is found it is usually a frequent to a common tree, and it is not uncommon to see areas which are almost a pure stand of this species. It is also a frequent to a common tree in southern Indiana in what is called the "flats." Here it is associated with sweet gum and pin oak. On the slopes of hills of the southern counties it is associated with a great variety of trees. In the central part of the State its most frequent associate is the sugar maple. In the northern counties it has a wider range of associates, including white oak, ash, slippery elm, buckeye, ironwood, etc. It should be added that tulip is a constant associate except in the "flats." In point of number it ranks as first of Indiana trees.
FAGUS GRANDIFOLIA Ehrhart. Beech. (× 1/2.)
Remarks.—Specimens with the habit of retaining their branches which lop downward, usually have thicker sap wood and are harder to split. This form is popularly styled the white beech. The form with smooth tall trunks with upright branches usually has more heart wood, splits more easily and is popularly distinguished as red beech. The term yellow beech is variously applied. This species is a large tree in all parts of the State, although the largest specimens are found in the southeastern part of the State. In the virgin forests trees almost 1 m. in diameter and 30 m. high were frequent.
Beech was formerly used only for fuel, but in the last few decades it has been cut and used for many purposes, and the supply is fast diminishing. The beauty of this tree both in summer and winter, sunshine or storm makes it one of the most desirable for shade tree planting, but I have failed to find where it has been successfully used. It is one of the few trees that does not take to domestication. When the original forest is reduced to a remnant of beech, as a rule, the remaining beech will soon begin to die at the top. It is difficult to transplant. When planted the hole should be filled with earth obtained from under a living tree, in order to introduce the mycorrhiza that is necessary to the growth of the tree.