Chapter XII: Common Woods

=128. Classification.=--According to botanical classification, woods belong to the Flowering Plants (Phanerogamia). Classified further we have:

(1) Naked seeds (gymnosperms)
1. Palm ferns, etc. (cycadaceæ)
2. Joint firs (gnetaceæ)
3. Pines, firs, etc. (conifers)
(2) Fruits (angiosperms)
1. One-seed-leaf (monocotyledons)
(Bamboos, palms, grasses, etc.)
2. Two-seed-leaf (dicotyledons)
_a._ Herbs.
_b._ Broad-leafed trees.
(oak, ash, elm, etc.)

Conifers and broad-leaved trees are alike in that they add a new layer of wood each year which covers the old wood of root, trunk and branch. They are known as exogens--outward growers.

In woods such as the palms, bamboos, and yuccas, growth is made from within.

The new wood strands mingle with the old and cause the cross sections to appear dotted, Fig. 218. Trees of this class--endogens--after some years of growth form harder wood near the surface with younger and softer growth toward the center--quite the reverse of the exogens. There are no annual rings. Growth takes place mainly at the top.

Other classifications, such as deciduous, “hard woods,” “evergreens,” “soft woods,” are in common use but are not very accurate.

Deciduous trees are the broad-leaved trees and are so called because they lose their leaves in the fall. Broad-leaved trees are also called hard woods.

Conifers are called evergreens because their needle-shaped leaves remain green on the tree the year around. They are also known as soft woods.

Most of our timber is furnished by (1) the needle-leaved conifers and (2) the broad-leaved trees.

CONIFEROUS WOODS.[1]

[1] The descriptive matter in small type is quoted, by permission,
from a report of the Division of Forestry, U. S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

=129. Cedar.=--Fig. 219. Light, soft, stiff, not strong, of fine
texture; sap and heartwood distinct, the former lighter, the latter
a dull grayish brown, or red. The wood seasons rapidly, shrinks and
checks but little, and is very durable. Used like soft pine, but
owing to its great durability preferred for shingles, etc. Small
sizes used for posts, ties, etc. (Since almost all kinds of wood
are used for fuel and charcoal, and in the construction of fences,
barns, etc., the enumeration of these uses has been omitted in this
list.) Cedars usually occur scattered, but they form, in certain
localities, forests of considerable extent.

=130. Cypress.=--Fig. 220. Cypress wood in appearance, quality, and
uses is similar to white cedar. “Black cypress” and “white cypress”
are heavy and light forms of the same species. The cypress is a large
deciduous tree occupying much of the swamp and overflow land along
the coast and rivers of the Southern States.

=131. Pine.=--Fig. 221. Very variable, very light and soft in “soft”
pine, such as white pine; of medium weight to heavy and quite hard
in “hard” pine, of which longleaf or Georgia pine is the extreme
form. Usually it is stiff, quite strong, of even texture and more
or less resinous. The sapwood is yellowish white; the heartwood,
orange brown. Pine shrinks moderately, seasons rapidly and without
much injury; it works easily; is never too hard to nail (unlike oak
or hickory); it is mostly quite durable, and if well seasoned is
not subject to the attacks of boring insects. The heavier the wood,
the darker, stronger and harder it is, and the more it shrinks and
checks. Pine is used more extensively than any other kind of wood. It
is the principal wood in common carpentry, as well as in all heavy
construction, bridges, trestles, etc. It is used also in almost every
other wood industry, for spars, masts, planks, and timbers in ship
building, in car and wagon construction, in cooperage, for crates
and boxes, in furniture work, for toys and patterns, railway ties,
water pipes, excelsior, etc. Pines are usually large trees with few
branches, the straight, cylindrical, useful stem forming by far the
greatest part of the tree.

=132. Spruce.=--Fig. 222. Resembles soft pine, is light, very soft,
stiff, moderately strong, less resinous than pine; has no distinct
heartwood, and is of whitish color. Used like soft pine, but also
employed as resonance wood and preferred for paper pulp. Spruces,
like pines, form extensive forests; they are more frugal, thrive on
thinner soils, and bear more shade, but usually require a more humid
climate. “Black” and “white” spruce as applied by lumbermen, usually
refer to narrow and wide ringed forms of black spruce.

BROAD-LEAVED WOODS.

=133. Ash.=--Fig. 223. Wood heavy, hard, strong, stiff, quite tough,
not durable in contact with soil, straight grained, rough on the
split surface and coarse in texture. The wood shrinks moderately,
seasons with little injury, stands well and takes a good polish. In
carpentry ash is used for finishing lumber, stairways, panels, etc.;
it is used in shipbuilding, in the construction of cars, wagons,
carriages, etc., in the manufacture of farm implements, machinery,
and especially of furniture of all kinds, and also for harness work;
for barrels, baskets, oars, tool handles, hoops, clothespins, and
toys. The trees of the several species of ash are rapid growers, of
small to medium height with stout trunks; they form no forests, but
occur scattered in almost all broad-leaved forests.

=134. Basswood.=--Fig. 224. (Lime tree, American linden, lin, bee
tree): Wood light, soft, stiff but not strong, of fine texture, and
white to light brown color. The wood shrinks considerably in drying,
works and stands well; it is used in carpentry, in the manufacture
of furniture and woodenware, both turned and carved, in cooperage,
for toys, also for paneling of car and carriage bodies. Medium to
large sized trees, common in all Northern broad-leaved forests; found
throughout the Eastern United States.

=135. Birch.=--Fig. 225. Wood heavy, hard, strong, of fine texture;
sapwood whitish, heartwood in shades of brown with red and yellow;
very handsome, with satiny luster, equaling cherry. The wood shrinks
considerably in drying, works and stands well and takes a good
polish, but is not durable if exposed. Birch is used for finishing
lumber in building, in the manufacture of furniture, in woodturnery
for spools, boxes, wooden shoes, etc., for shoe lasts and pegs,
for wagon hubs, ox yokes, etc., also in wood carving. The birches
are medium sized trees, form extensive forests northward and occur
scattered in all broad-leaved forests of the Eastern United States.

=136. Butternut.=--Fig. 226. (White Walnut.) Wood very similar to
black walnut, but light, quite soft, not strong and of light brown
color. Used chiefly for finishing lumber, cabinet work and cooperage.
Medium sized tree, largest and most common in the Ohio basin; Maine
to Minnesota and southward to Georgia and Alabama.

=137. Cherry.=--Fig. 227. Wood heavy, hard, strong, of fine texture:
sapwood yellowish white, heartwood reddish to brown. The wood shrinks
considerably in drying, works and stands well, takes a good polish,
and is much esteemed for its beauty. Cherry is used chiefly as a
decorative finishing lumber for buildings, cars and boats, also
for furniture and for turnery. It is becoming too costly for many
purposes for which it is naturally suited. The lumber-furnishing
cherry of this country, the wild black cherry, is a small to medium
sized tree, scattered through many of the broad-leaved woods of the
western slope of the Alleghanies, but found from Michigan to Florida
and west to Texas.

=138. Chestnut.=--Fig. 228. Wood light, moderately soft, stiff, not
strong, of coarse texture; the sapwood light, the heartwood darker
brown. It shrinks and checks considerably in drying, works easily,
stands well, and is very durable. Used in cabinet work, cooperage,
for railway ties, telegraph poles, and locally in heavy construction.
Medium sized tree very common in the Alleghanies, occurs from Maine
to Michigan and southward to Alabama.

=139. Elm.=--Fig. 229. Wood heavy, hard, strong, very tough;
moderately durable in contact with the soil; commonly cross-grained,
difficult to split and shape, warps and checks considerably in
drying, but stands well if properly handled. The broad sapwood
whitish, heart brown, both shades of gray and red; on split surface
rough, texture coarse to fine, capable of high polish. Elm is used in
the construction of cars, wagons, etc., in boat and ship building,
for agricultural implements and machinery; in rough cooperage,
saddlery, and harness work, but particularly in the manufacture of
all kinds of furniture, where the beautiful figures, especially of
the tangential or bastard section, are just beginning to be duly
appreciated. The elms are medium to large sized trees, of fairly
rapid growth, with stout trunk, form no forests of pure growth, but
are found scattered in all the broad-leaved woods of our country.

=140. Gum.=--This general term refers to two kinds of wood usually
distinguished as sweet or red gum, and sour, black, or tupelo gum,
the former being a relative of the witch-hazel, the latter belonging
to the dogwood family.

Sweet Gum. Fig. 230. (red gum, liquidambar); Wood rather heavy,
rather soft, quite stiff and strong, tough, commonly cross-grained,
of fine texture; the broad sapwood whitish, the heartwood reddish
brown; the wood warps and shrinks considerably, but does not check
badly, stands well when fully seasoned, and takes good polish. Sweet
gum is used in carpentry, in the manufacture of furniture, for cut
veneer, for wooden plates, plaques, baskets, etc., also for wagon
hubs, hat blocks, etc. A large sized tree, very abundant, often
the principal tree in the swampy parts of the bottoms of the Lower
Mississippi Valley; occurs from New York to Texas and from Indiana to
Florida.

=141. Hickory.=--Fig. 231. Wood very heavy, hard and strong,
proverbially tough, of rather coarse texture, smooth and of straight
grain. The broad sapwood white, the heart reddish nut brown. It
dries slowly, shrinks and checks considerably, is not durable in
the ground, or if exposed, and, especially the sapwood, is always
subject to the inroads of boring insects. Hickory excels as carriage
and wagon stock, but is also extensively used in the manufacture of
implements and machinery, for tool handles, timber pins, for harness
work and cooperage. The hickories are tall trees with slender stems,
never form forests, occasionally small groves, but usually occur
scattered among other broad-leaved trees in suitable localities.

Hickory excels as carriage and wagon stock, but is also extensively
used in the manufacture of implements and machinery, for tool
handles, timber pins, for harness work and cooperage. The hickories
are tall trees with slender stems, never form forests, occasionally
small groves, but usually occur scattered among other broad-leaved
trees in suitable localities.

=142. Maple.=--Fig. 232. Wood heavy, hard, strong, stiff, and tough,
of fine texture, frequently wavy grained, thus giving rise to “curly”
and blister” figures; not durable in the ground or otherwise exposed.
Maple is creamy white, with shades of light brown in the heart;
shrinks moderately, seasons, works and stands well, wears smoothly
and takes fine polish. The wood is used for ceiling, flooring,
paneling, stairway and other finishing lumber in house, ship and
car construction; it is used for the keels of boats and ships, in
the manufacture of implements and machinery, but especially for
furniture, where entire chamber sets of maple rival those of oak.
Maple is also used for shoe lasts and other form blocks, for shoe
pegs, for piano actions, school apparatus, for wood type in show bill
printing, tool handles, wood carving, turnery and scroll work.

The maples are medium sized trees, of fairly rapid growth; sometimes
form forests and frequently constitute a large proportion of the
arborescent growth.

=143. Oak.=--Fig. 233. Wood very variable, usually very heavy and
hard, very strong and tough, porous, and of coarse texture; the
sapwood whitish, the heart “oak” brown to reddish brown. It shrinks
and checks badly, giving trouble in seasoning, but stands well, is
durable and little subject to attacks of insects. Oak is used for
many purposes; in shipbuilding, for heavy construction, in common
carpentry, in furniture, car and wagon work, cooperage, turnery, and
even in wood carving; also in the manufacture of all kinds of farm
implements, wooden mill machinery, for piles and wharves, railway
ties, etc. The oaks are medium to large sized trees, forming the
predominant part of a large portion of our broad-leaved forests, so
that these are generally “oak forests” though they always contain
a considerable proportion of other kinds of trees. Three well
marked kinds, white, red, and live oak are distinguished and kept
separate in the market. Of the two principal kinds, white oak is the
stronger, tougher, less porous, and more durable. Red oak is usually
of coarser texture, more porous, often brittle, less durable, and
even more troublesome in seasoning than white oak. In carpentry and
furniture work, red oak brings about the same price at present as
white oak. The red oaks everywhere accompany the white oaks, and like
the latter, are usually represented by several species in any given
locality. Live oak, once largely employed in shipbuilding, possesses
all the good qualities (except that of size) of the white oak, even
to a greater degree. It is one of the heaviest, hardest and most
durable building timbers of this country; in structure it resembles
the red oak but is much less porous.

=144. Sycamore.=--Fig. 234 (button wood, button-ball tree, water
beech): Wood moderately heavy, quite hard, stiff, strong, tough,
usually crossgrained, of coarse texture, and white to light brown
color; the wood is hard to split and work, shrinks moderately, warps
and checks considerably but stands well. It is used extensively for
drawers, backs, bottoms, etc., in cabinetwork, for tobacco boxes,
in cooperage, and also for finishing lumber, where it has too long
been underrated. A large tree, of rapid growth, common and largest in
the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, at home in nearly all parts of the
eastern United States.

=145. Tulip Wood.=--Fig. 235. Tulip tree. (yellow poplar, white
wood): Wood quite variable in weight, usually light, soft, stiff but
not strong, of fine texture, and yellowish color; the wood shrinks
considerably, but seasons without much injury; works and stands
remarkably well. Used for siding, for paneling, and finishing lumber
in house, car and shipbuilding, for sideboards and panels of wagons
and carriages; also in the manufacture of furniture, implements and
machinery, for pump logs, and almost every kind of common woodenware,
boxes, shelving, drawers, etc. An ideal wood for the carver and
toy man. A large tree, does not form forests, but is quite common,
especially in the Ohio basin; occurs from New England to Missouri and
southward to Florida.

=146. Walnut.=--Fig. 236. Black Walnut. Wood heavy, hard, strong, of
coarse texture; the narrow sapwood whitish, the heartwood chocolate
brown. The wood shrinks moderately in drying, works and stands well,
takes a good polish, is quite handsome, and has been for a long time
the favorite cabinet wood in this country. Walnut formerly used, even
for fencing, has become too costly for ordinary uses, and is to-day
employed largely as a veneer, for inside finish and cabinet work,
also for turnery, for gunstocks, etc. Black walnut is a large tree,
with stout trunk, of rapid growth, and was formerly quite abundant
throughout the Alleghany region, occurring from New England to Texas,
and from Michigan to Florida.