Page:Cassells' Carpentry and Joinery.djvu/63

Rh American Yellow Pine.—This is the wood of Pinus strobus, and is known also as American yellow deal, Weymouth pine, American white pine, pattern-maker's pine, etc. It is used chiefly for panels on account of its great width, for moulding on account of its uniform grain and freedom from knots, and for patterns for casting from on account of its softness and easy working. It is very uniform in texture, of a very pale honey-yellow or straw colour, turning brown with age, usually free from knots, and specially recognised by short, dark, hair-like markings in the grain when planed, and its light weight. It is subject to cupshakes and to incipient decay, going brown and "mothery." It takes glue well, but splits in nailing. American woods are not branded, as a rule, though some houses use brands in imitation of the Baltic marks, though without following any definite rules. The qualities may, however, very often be known by red marks "I.," "II.," "III.," upon the sides or ends, but the qualities of American yellow deals are easily told by inspection, the custom in the London Docks being to stack them on their sides, so as to expose their faces to view, and allow of free ventilation. Woods from Canadian ports have black letters and white letters on the ends, and red marks on the edges. American yellow pine may be purchased in balks over 60 ft. in length and 24 in. square. It is not so strong as the American red pine, but is much lighter, and so is distinguished when floating by the height it stands above the water. First-quality pine costs more than any other soft wood used for joinery.

American Red Pine.—This is the wood of the Pinus mitis, which is called in America the yellow pine, and is very like the wood of the Scotch fir, though it does not equal it in strength or durability, neither does it grow so large as the Dantzic and Memel timber. Being very straight-grained and free from knots, it is valuable for joiners' work, when a stronger wood than yellow pine (described in the previous paragraph) is required. It is more expensive than Baltic fir, consequently is not so largely used in England. Red pine has of late years been used rather extensively owing to the scarcity of good yellow deal and the high price of yellow pine. The cost is about the same as Gromoff.

American White Spruce.—This is very like Baltic white timber, but, not being equal to it in durability or strength, it does not command such a large sale as the Baltic white timber. It is the produce of two different trees, the Abies alba, or white spruce, and the Abies nigra, or black spruce, so named from the colour of their bark; the colour of the wood is white in both cases. The black spruce timber is far better than the white, is more plentiful, and grows to a greater size.

Elm.—Common English elm (Úlmus campestris) is of a reddish brown colour with light sapwood, the grain being very irregular and there being numerous small knots. It warps and twists freely, but is very durable if kept constantly under water or constantly dry, but it will not bear alternations of wet and dry. One peculiarity characteristic of elm is that the sap turns white and becomes foxey, and decays quickly. It is used for coffins, piles under foundations, pulley blocks, stable fittings, etc. It is chiefly home-grown.

American Elm. — The wood generally known as American elm is one of the United States timbers (Úlmus Americána, L.) locally known as white elm, or water elm. The wood is highly valued, has many properties similar to those of American rock elm (Úlmus racemósa Thomas)—though not, perhaps, quite so tough as that timber—and is very extensively used in cooperage, saddlery, axe-helves, etc., and wagon and boat-building. The tree which furnishes the wood grows to large dimensions, and is widely distributed over all the States east of the Mississippi River.

Pitchpine.—This is Pinus Australis or Pinus resinosa, and is recognised by its weight and strong reddish yellow grain, with distinct and regular annual rings. It must be well seasoned and free from sap and shakes. Pitchpine is very free from knots, but when they occur they are large and transparent, and give variety to the grain. It is used chiefly for treads of stairs and flooring, on account of its hardness and wear-resisting qualities; for doors, staircases, strings, handrails, and balusters on account