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America has but one native beech, a tree of which we are justly proud. It is a round-topped tree; grows from 50 to 120 feet high; has abundant, thin, soft leaves, whose perfection is seldom lessened by insect attacks. The leaves are alternate, oblong-ovate, strongly veined. In autumn they turn yellow, remaining on the tree very late. The bark is of unique beauty, smooth, shining, bluish-gray, the limbs darker. The flower is inconspicuous. The fruit is a small, sweet, three-angled nut, the well known delicious little beech-nut. In Europe an oil made from the nut and called beech-oil, is extensively used for food; the nuts themselves are fed to swine, poultry, etc. The tree is widely distributed, its range being from Nova Scotia to Florida and westward. It grows best in sandy loam and limestone soil. Both Indians and early American settlers believed that a beech was never struck by lightning—a tradition that has its believers today. See Bailey: Cyclopedia of American Horticulture; Rogers: The Tree Book; Lounsberry: A Guide to the Trees.

Beecher, Henry Ward, a great American preacher and author, son of Dr. Lyman Beecher, was born at Litchfield, Conn., June 24, 1813. He studied at Boston Latin School and Amherst College, taking his theological studies at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, of which his father was then president. He began preaching at Lawrenceburg, Ind., then removed to Indianapolis. In 1847 he was called to Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn, which was just formed. Here he remained, attracting an immense congregation, until his death, March 8, 1887. As a preacher Mr. Beecher had great power. A rich voice, great vigor of action, a fine intellect, a warm sympathy for men of all classes and strong faith in God made him one of the greatest of pulpit orators. As writer, lecturer and orator he was hardly less gifted, his speeches and newspaper articles during the war producing a great effect both in his own country and in England. He wrote for many years for the New York Independent, and some of his articles were collected and published as Star Papers. He also founded the Christian Union. Among his published writings are Lectures to Young Men, Life Thoughts, Norwood, a novel, and a Life of Christ.

Beecher, Lyman, a great American preacher and theologian, was born at New Haven, Conn., Oct. 12,1775. He studied at New Haven, graduated at Yale College, studied theology for a year, and began preaching at East Hampton, Long Island, where he remained until 1810. He then went to Litchfield, Conn., where were born his two most famous children, Henry W ard and Harriet (Mrs. Stowe), though nearly all of his twelve children are well known. Here he soon made his mark as one of the first pulpit orators of the time, and preached his famous Six Sermons on Intemperance, at a time when the cause of temperance was very unpopular. After sixteen years he was called to Hanover Street Church, Boston, and during six years of hard work here he engaged in a theological discussion with Dr. Chan-ning. Lane Theological Seminary at Cincinnati next called him to be its president. While here he was charged with heresy, tried and acquitted. He spent twenty years in the seminary, resigning when his health failed and spending the last ten years of his life in Brooklyn. He died Jan. 10, 1863, at the age of 88. He had many oddities. When excited by preaching, he used to divert himself by playing Auld Lang Syne on the fiddle, or dancing the double shuffle in his parlor. He also kept a pile of sand in his cellar, which he shoveled back and forth for exercise. His Sermons and his Autobiography have been edited by his son Charles.

Beer, a fermented or worked liquor made from malted grain, usually barley, though wheat and, in India, rice are also used. There are various names to distinguish the different kinds of beer. Table beer, pale ale, mild ale and porter are names to mark slight differences in the process of fermentation or in the proportions of materials used. This drink has Seen known from the earliest times, the Egyptians using it 3,000 years before the Christian era. It is now the general drink of many nations. In making or brewing beer the first step is to soak or steep the barley in iron cisterns for a period from seventy-two to ninety-six hours, when the water is drained off and the barley thrown on to the malting floor, where it sprouts as it does when planted. This is called germination, and when it has gone far enough to produce the largest amount of sugar in the barley, the malt, as it is now called, is taken to the drying kiln. After drying, it Is crushed,

HENRY WARD BEECHER

LYMAN BEECHER