FOREST TREES. 87

ble. This might not probably be the case if it were first well seasoned.

The sap drained in March and April, by incision, from all the varieties of birch, makes excellent vine- gar, and a pleasant weak Wine may be obtained from it by boiling and fermentation.

The Russia leather, used for binding books, is prepared with the empyreumatic oil obtained from the outer bark of the White birch. This bark is very inflammable, and used for torches or flambeaux by the Indians and others, when fishing for eels, sal- mon, &c. at night.

There are many varieties of the maple (acer.) Those generally known in America are—

The white maple, which is straight and close in its fibres, elastic, and slow in burning. The waved maple, which resembles Zebra-wood, is exceedingly beautiful, admits of a very fine polish, and is the same as that generally used for the backs of violins.

The great maple (acer pseudo platanas), generally known in America by the different names of rock maple, from its being hard and tough; bird’s eye maple, from its being frequently beautifully mottled like birds’ eyes; curled maple, from its being gene- rally curled in the fibres, and richly shaded. It takes a high polish; and beautiful specimens of this wood may be seen in the ornamental work of the cabins of the American packets that come to Liverpool.

The sugar maple (acer saccharinum) differs from the great maple in its fibres being generally straight and coarser, its Wood not being so hard or compact,