BIRCH-Bark being bituminous, and consequently warm and emollient, is used in fumigations to correct a disordered air. The inner silken bark was anciently used for writing-tables before the invention of paper; though Ray rather assigns the office of paper to the cuticle, or outer skin, which peels off yearly. And with the outward, thicker, and coarser part, are houses in Russia, Poland, and other northern tracts, covered instead of flutes and tyle. The Indians make pinacles with white cedar, which they cover with large flakes of birch-bark; sewing them with thread of spruce-roots, and pitching them, as the ancient Britons did, with the willow. Pliny speaks of a bitumen actually procured from the birch-tree.

Fungus of BIRCH, an excrescence growing on its trunk. It is astringent, and good against hemorrhages. When boiled, beaten, and dried in an oven, it makes excellent spunk or touchwood.

BIRCH-Leaves are of use in the dropsy, itch, &c. either internally or externally applied.

BIRCH-Twigs serve to make rods and brooms: smeared with bird-lime, they are used by fowlers; to say nothing of the ancient salves carried by liars.

BIRCH-Wine is made by fermenting the vernal juice. Formerly it was in great repute against all nephritic disorders, but is left out in the modern London practice. The preparation of birch-wine is well and amply described in a book intitled Vinetum Britannicum.