Birches grow throughout the arctic regions and cooler parts of the north temperate zone. Of the 40 species of trees and shrubs included in the genus Betula, yellow birch, sweet birch, and paper birch are the most important commercially. Birch is used principally for lumber, veneer, pulpwood, fuelwood, and small turned products. Yellow birch, one of the principal furniture woods, is also used in the hardwood distillation industry to produce wood alcohol, acetate of lime, charcoal, tar, and oils. Sweet birch is used to produce birch oil. Paper birch is used for specialty veneer products such as ice-cream sticks, picnic spoons, and tongue depressors, as well as small turned or rived products such as bobbins, spools, broom handles, dowels, shoe shanks, and toys.