TIMBER TREES. Trees valuable for their timber are very numerous, and are found in all the warm and temperate parts of the world, except where the aridity of the soil, or the sea-breeze, prevents their growth. They belong to very many and widely differ ent natural orders, all of which, however, are orders of phanerogamous plants; the only cryptogamous plants which assume the form of trees being the tree ferns (q.v.), none of which yield valuable timber. Of endogenous plants none have any claim to be men tioned ammg timber trees, except some of the palms (q.v.); the only other endogens, indeed, which can be called trees being a very few of the liliaxece, as the dragon tree. See DRAGON'S BLOOD. Of gymnogens, the conifers are in general of some value for their timber, and some of them are among the most useful of all timber trees, as the different kinds of fir and pine. A far greater number of timber trees, however, are true exogens, as the oak, ash, elm, beech, sycamore, etc., among British trees; the chestnut
and walnut among those of the south of Europe; the mahogany, teak, etc., among those of tropical countries. It is impossible, within our space, to attempt an enumeration. Notice is taken of the most valuable timber trees of different countries in the articles on these countries; of those belonging to particular natural orders, in the articles on these orders; and the most valuable kinds are noticed in separate articles. For the cultivation of timber trees, see the article ARBORICULTURE. Some trees of comparatively small size are valuable on account of the quality of their timber, which is used for veneering or for turnery. Some trees, chiefly valuable as fruit trees, may also be reckoned among timber trees, although not of great importance, of which the apple tree may be men• Lion as an instance.