Cypress (Taxodium distickum), which is produced chiefly in the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast States, is one of the most valuable of American woods for those uses requiring great durability under exposure to moisture. Heart cypress is practically immune from decay and is therefore favored for the construction of water tanks, greenhouses, in the manufacture of cross-ties, shingles, siding and for many other uses involving a degree of durability found in no other American wood.
Hemlock is of two species. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is produced chiefly in New York,' New England, Pennsylvania, West Vir ginia, Michigan and Wisconsin. Western hem lock (Tsuga heterophyllo) is found chiefly in the North Pacific coast section. The chief uses of hemlock are as a general utility building lumber and for boxes and crating. The wood of the eastern hemlock is light, not particularly durable under exposure without the protection of paint or preservatives, but strong and serv iceable. The western variety is more dense and possesses many characteristics similar to those of Douglas fir.
Spruce as a trade term covers several species which are found widely scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. The most im portant are Picea rubens, found chiefly in New England, New York and Pennsylvania and sold as °Eastern spruce)); Picea canadensis, native to the Great Lakes region, and usually termed 'white spruce," and the Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) found in the North Pacific coast territory. Spruce is one of the lightest, softest and most readily workable of American woods and therefore a rival of white pine for many uses. It also furnishes a large part of the domestic supply of pulp for paper manu facture.
Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is a Cali fornia product noted for the great sizes to which it grows. It is a light, durable wood, used extensively in building, particularly for siding and shingles. It possesses the charac teristic of resisting fire to an unusual extent.
The various cedars, including many species, furnish the principal raw material of the shingle industry and the most satisfactory wood for the manufacture of pencils. The name °cedar* as it is understood in the lumber trade includes such species as the junipers and the arborvitzs, the Lsbocedrus, or incense cedar, and °tame cyparis thyoides, commonly known as white cedar. The junipers are more widely distrib
uted than any other American species.
Hardwoods or Broadleaf Timbers.— Oak is the most important of the hardwoods in volume of production. Botanically there are more than 50 oaks, the most important of which are the white oak (Quercus alba) and red oak (Quer cus rubra). The oaks yield a wood that is very useful in building construction because of its varied and beautiful texture or ((figure) It is very hard and will withstand extreme wear, qualities that make it valuable in the manufacture of flooring, interior finish, furni ture and cabinet work of many varieties, vehicles and agricultural implements, and in ship and boat building. The greater part of the production of oak centres in the Southern States, although the timber is found in practi cally all parts of the country.
Maple includes several species, the most im portant commercially being the hard maple (Ater saccharum), also known as the °sugar maple' This wood is found scattered widely through the Northern and Eastern States, but attains its greatest importance in Michigan. It is a strong, dense hardwood, the most important uses of which are for flooring, finish and furni ture.
Birch of several species is found chiefly in the Northeastern and Great Lakes States, the most important variety being the yellow birch (Betula lutea), produced in largest quantity in Wisconsin and Michigan. The wood is heavy and tough and is particularly suited to• the manufacture of finish and furniture. It is ex tensively used stained in imitation of mahogany, although it possesses characteristics that makes it very attractive when finished in the natural.
Red gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is sec ond to oak as a hardwood product of the South ern States. It is moderately soft, possesses an attractive figure and is extensively used for finish and furniture. Properly stained it af fords a good imitation of mahogany. Other important uses are for boxes, cooperage and vehicles.
Chestnut (Castanea dentata) is produced in largest quantities in the Eastern States. It is used chiefly in the production of interior finish, furniture, musical instruments and coffins.