Fig. 52.—Bark of the Beech.
Fig. 53.—Buds of the Beech Tree.
Commercial value: The wood is soft and not durable. It is used in the manufacture of small articles and for wood pulp.
Other characters: The fruit is a catkin.
Comparisons: The paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is apt to be confused with the gray birch, because both have a white bark. The bark of the paper birch, however, is a clear white and peels off in thin papery layers instead of being close. It very seldom shows any dark triangular markings on the trunk. Its terminal twigs are not rough and its trunk is usually straighter and freer from branches.
The black or sweet birch (Betula lenta) has a bark similar to the gray birch, except that its color is dark gray. See [Fig. 51]. The twigs have an aromatic taste.