Under the name of Californian red wood, the timber of Sequoia son,pervirens has of late years been to some extent imported into Great Britain. Like the last, the tree is of great size, and the wood is easily got free of knots. It is of a pleasing red color (most of the so called red pine woods are nearly white), and easily worked in the longitudinal direction, but difficult to cut clean across the grain. Another recently imported wood is the Kauri pine of New Zealand. The Kauri (Dammam australis) is also a majestic tree, and the wood is highly prized for all general purposes in its native country. It seems to have some tendency to warp, but this may be owing to defective seasoning. We may mention among coniferous woods that of the deo dar (Cedrus Deodara), which, though not used in Great Britain, is extremely dura ble, and of great importance in northern India.
Among the more important American coniferous timbers, some of which have been already referred to, are the white pine (Pinus strobus), called in England yellow pine; the yellow pine of the East ern States (Pinus mitis); the hemlock; the black spruce; the Douglas pine; Cali fornian redwood; the white cedar (Clui mcecyparis thyoides) ; the red cedar (Ju niperus virginiama); as well as the larch or tamarack (Larix americana).
Of timbers from dicotyledonous or, as they are sometimes called, foliaceous trees oak is the most important. The oak timber grown in the N. of Europe is obtained from two or three varieties of one species of Quercus, or from distinct but closely allied species. The timber possesses in a high degree the useful properties of a hardwood. It is strong, tough, elastic, and not too heavy. Its sp. gr. averages about .800. Few woods are more durable or less affected in ex posed situations by' alternations of wet and dry weather. It is still used largely in shipbuilding and for many purposes in civil architecture, but for the latter it is much more expensive than pine wood. Oak has the defect of rusting iron which pierces it or which is in contact with it. One or two American oaks also yield valuable timber. Teak, from an Indian tree, is next in importance to oak as a constructive timber. It has just the op posite effect on iron, as it protects the metal from rust, a property which gives it great value as a backing for the armor plating of ships. Teak is neither quite so hard nor so strong as oak, but it is as difficult to cut with tools, and it is rather lighter when thoroughly seasoned.
Besides its extensive use in shipbuilding, it has been of late years used for ex ternal architectural work. Elm, though of much less consequence than oak as building timber, is nevertheless a good deal employed for engineering purposes; it is also used in shipbuilding for keels and other parts under water. Elm is only of great durability if kept either quite dry or constantly wet. For other
timbers belonging to the same great class of trees, such as ash, beech, hornbeam, sycamore, lime, and birch, which have more restricted applications, see their respective heads. In the S. of Europe the timbers of the chestnut (Castanea vesca) and the walnut are extensively used.
There are a few exceptionally remark able timbers which may just be named. Greenheart, which is of extraordinary strength, is believed to contain some prin ciple which resists the attacks of boring worms when used for piles. Sabicu (Ly silanut sabicu) , which is plentiful in Cuba, is another im.t.ensely strong wood. Both these timbers are heavier than water, and are used in shipbuilding. The Jarrah wood (Eucalyptus maryinata) of West ern Australia is believed to be extremely durable for sleepers and paving blocks. Recently a few of the streets of London have been paved with it. Lignum vitae (Guaiacurn officinale) is of all woods the one which conies nearest to a strong metal in resistance to tear and wear.
Furniture and Orrtantental W oods.— Mahogany is by far the most important of furniture woods, and it has many minor applications as well. Perhaps no other timber has such valuable properties for the construction of cabinets, side boards, tables, or casing of any sort. For a hardwood it is easily worked; it is close-grained, takes a fine polish, and is very durable; if well seasoned it is not apt to warp, shrink, or crack, and its color improves with age. Some pieces of finely "curled" or figured mahogany bring a very high price. Oak, though also an excellent wood for furniture, is more dif ficult to season, more laborious to work, and less easy to obtain free of defects. The black walnut (Juglens Nigro) of Canada and the United States is much used for furniture. It is of a pleasing dark color, and comes nearer Spanish mahogany in suitability for cabinet work, but is not so hard. Italian or Circassian walnut (Juglans regia) is harder, and as a rule much more richly figured. It has been used for centuries for carving and furniture in Italy and other European countries. Much old walnut furniture is badly "worm eaten." Brazilian rose wood, the product of a much smaller tree than any of the above, is a strong, bard, heavy material, but fairly easily worked. It is of a dark, rich brown color, with beautiful streaks and cloud-like mark ings of a still darker tint, which more nearly resembles those of a colored mar ble than any other known wood. It has been long used in Europe for costly fur niture. Satinwood, of which there are two kinds much the same in appearance, is something like rosewood in hardness and fineness of grain. Owing to their closeness of grain neither holds glue well. Except that it is of a different and much lighter color, the figure of satinwood much resembles the "curl" of mahogany.