  In the critical beta-splitting model of a random $n$-leaf binary tree,
leaf-sets are recursively split into subsets, and a set of $m$ leaves is split
into subsets containing $i$ and $m-i$ leaves with probabilities proportional to
$1/{i(m-i)}$. We study the continuous-time model in which the holding time
before that split is exponential with rate $h_{m-1}$, the harmonic number. We
(sharply) evaluate the first two moments of the time-height $D_n$ and of the
edge-height $L_n$ of a uniform random leaf (that is, the length of the path
from the root to the leaf), and prove the corresponding CLTs. We find the
limiting value of the correlation between the heights of two random leaves of
the same tree realization, and analyze the expected number of splits necessary
for a set of $t$ leaves to partially or completely break away from each other.
We give tail bounds for the time-height and the edge-height of the {\em tree},
that is the maximal leaf heights. We show that there is a limit distribution
for the size of a uniform random subtree, and derive the asymptotics of the
mean size. Our proofs are based on asymptotic analysis of the attendant
(sum-type) recurrences. The essential idea is to replace such a recursive
equality by a pair of recursive inequalities for which matching asymptotic
solutions can be found, allowing one to bound, both ways, the elusive explicit
solution of the recursive equality. This reliance on recursive inequalities
necessitates usage of Laplace transforms rather than Fourier characteristic
functions.
