Page:Enquiry into plants (Volume 1).pdf/457

 flesh of open texture. Wherefore the timber of the one is heavy, of the other light, the one being resinous, the other without resin; wherefore also it is whiter. Moreover the fir has more branches, but those of the silver-fir are much tougher, or rather they are tougher than those of any other tree; the branches of both however are of close texture, horny, and in colour brown and like resin-glutted wood. When the branches of either tree are cut, sap streams from them for a considerable time, but especially from those of the silver-fir. Moreover the wood of the silver-fir has many layers, like an onion: there is always another beneath that which is visible, and the wood is composed of such layers throughout. Wherefore, when men are shaving this wood to make oars, they endeavour to take off the several coats one by one evenly: for, if they do this, they get a strong spar, while if they do the work irregularly and do not strip off the coats evenly, they get a weak one; for the process in this case is hacking instead of stripping. The silver-fir also gives timber of the greatest lengths and of the straightest growth; wherefore yard-arms and masts are made from it. Also the vessels and fibre are more clearly seen in it than in any other tree. At first it grows in height only, until it has reached the sunshine; and so far there is no branch nor sidegrowth nor density of habit; but after that the tree proceeds to increase in bulk and density of habit, as the outgrowing branches and sidegrowths develop.