worked into furniture of various sorts, the wood has a much more elegant appearance than mahogany. The Sugar-maple also affords the best firewood or fuel in North America.

There is another species called "the soft Maple” -Acer Rubrum-, which contains only a small portion of sap of an acidulating nature.

The WHITE BEECH,-Fagus Ferruginea,-is seldom or never used for any thing but fuel, and plane stocks. But the Red Beech" is a very lasting timber, and much esteemed for fencing. "The Blue Beech" is a kind of shrub.

The WHITE OAK,-Quercus Alba,-though greatly inferior to that of England, is the most useful timber in the country for general purposes; but "the Black, the Yellow, and the Red Oaks," are of very little value. The White species is distinguished into the Shaggy and the Smooth.

BLACK and WHITE ASH, neither of which bears much resemblance to English Ash, are used principally for hoops, rails, and flooring.

RED and WHITE ELM grow to a most astonishing size. The former is generally found hollow and of little value; but the latter is very durable and in much request among joiners and cabinetmakers. There is another species of Elm, called "the Water-Elm :" When this is accidentally pierced by the blow of an axe, an astonishing quantity of fœtid liquor, of an amber colour, and a most offensive flavour exudes from the wound. Several gallons of this fluid are often taken from a single

tree, the timber of which is of no value what

ever..

IRON WOOD, when seasoned, is exceedingly hard and close grained; but, as it never grows more than 40 or 50 feet in height and a foot in diameter, little use is made of it in Canada.

The common BIRCH-TREE,- Betula Alba, is often found 16 feet in circumference and 120 feet in height; but, like almost all other trees in the country, it is committed to the flames by the settlers when in the act of clearing the land. The Indians make excellent canoes of the bark; and this, I believe, is the only useful purpose to which any part of the tree is appropriated.

BASSWOOD is a very soft white timber, difficult to be burned, and of little value in Upper Canada. But in Montreal, it sells for 500 per cent. higher than the best Pine. It is used for the pannels of sleighs, calashes, &c., for which purpose it is considered superior even to mahogany, on account of being lighter, closer, and more finely grained. It also bends well, and never splits while in the act of being pierced.

BLACK and WHITE WALNUT grow only in the richest soils. They produce an abundant supply of very excellent nuts, which are larger than those of Europe, and possess an exceedingly fine flavour."

The WHITE WALNUT is called in Canada, "the Butter-nut." The bark of this tree possesses some very extraordinary medicinal properties: If it be stripped from the root upwards, and administered

to a patient, it will operate as an emetic; but if it be stripped from the boughs downwards, its medicinal properties are changed, and it becomes a strong purgative. Observe how remarkably the modus operandi accords with the manner of decor tication! This appears marvellous enough; but it is nevertheless strictly true. The wood of this tree is also used in dying,-a purpose to which it seems as well adapted as log-wood.

CHESNUT, Castanea Vesca, and HICCORY, (or HECKARRY,) produce a profusion of very fine nuts. The Hiccory-nut adhéres closely to the shell, and is the best-flavoured nut in America. It must, however, be rather injurious to the health, as it contains a great quantity of unctuous matter, from which a fine oil may be expressed. I have myself procured 10 drops from a single nut, the kernel of which was not as large as that of a walnut.

BUTTON-WOOD, considered by some to be a species of Sycamore, grows to a prodigious size on the banks of brooks and rivers. It is a beautifullooking timber, when worked up into articles of furniture. Its fine grain bears a striking resemblance to salmon-coloured silk velvet.

WHITE-WOOD grows principally in moist soils. It is excellent timber for flooring; not so lasting as Pine, but greatly superior in appearance.

BALM OF GILEAD and POPLAR,-Populus Alba,— are seldom applied to purposes of utility in America by any except the Indians, who form the wood

into bowls, dishes, ladles and other domestic utensils.

RED and WHITE PINE,-Pinus Scholeus,-frequently attain the astonishing height of 250 feet, but they seldom exceed 18 feet in circumference. They tower above every other tree in the forest, and exhibit a most magnificent appearance. It is only, however, in the Western Districts of Upper Canada, where they grow to such an immense height. The White Pines are all reserved by his Britannic Majesty for the use of the Navy, and are therefore not allowed to be cut down by private individuals.

The FIR-TREE is found principally on the plains of Upper Canada, where it seldom attains to a greater height than 50 or 60 feet. In Winter, when the earth is covered with snow, and almost every other plant stripped of its foliage, the fine deep green and conical top of this singularly beautiful tree is seen to peculiar advantage.

The WHITE SPRUCE grows to a grows to a good size. I have seen many of them ninety feet high. The Black Spruce is another species.

HEMLOCK, Pinus Canadensis,-very much resembles the Yew in its foliage; but the timber is essentially different. The Canadians use the hemlock boughs as a substitute for tea; and although it has a very disagreeable flavour, they frequently drink great quantities of it, without either cream or sugar.

LARCH,-Pinus Larix, or as it is commonly called, "Tamerack," grows only in swamps, and is chiefly used in fencing.

WHITE CEDAR is esteemed the most durable timber on the whole continent. The Canadians have a common saying, that "the White Cedar "will last for ever, and will then serve for window"sashes.""Red Cedar" is found only in some particular parts of the country.

ASPEN, WEEPING WILLOW, and LOMBARDY POPLAR, are but rarely seen; and yet they are the only trees in the country which contribute in the slightest degree to its ornament. All others furnish no better display than their bare trunks, for nearly 100 feet from the ground; and, even above that height, we seek in vain for thick-spreading foliage. The branches shoot directly upwards, and are so very few and so poorly supplied with smaller boughs, that they present a shorn and destitute appearance. The mode pursued by English nursery-men in the management of young woods and plantations, will serve in some degree to explain the cause of this nakedness: In order to promote the quick shooting of such timber as is naturally of slow growth, they place the plants in the midst of young trees, which are more rapid in their rise and increase: The scions of both kinds shoot up together, equally lofty and leafless, till the more valuable trees have attained such a gracile height as accords with the views of the planter, and as will not attenuate them too much, or prevent