of the United States of North America. 25 



this purpose in the building-yards of New York, Philadelphia, 

 and Baltimore, 



The Red Pine {Pinus resinosa) is the only other of the pine 

 species that is much used. It occurs in great plenty in the 

 northern and middle states, and in Canada, from whence it 

 is exported in great quantity to this country, and it is known 

 to us by the name of " American yellow pine." It attains 

 the height of 70 or 80 feet, with a diameter of two feet, 

 and is remarkable for the uniform size of its trunk for 

 two-thirds of its height. Its name is derived from the red- 

 ness of its bark. The wood, owing to the resinous matter it 

 contains, is heavy ; and is highly esteemed for naval architec- 

 ture, more especially for decks of vessels, both in this country 

 and in America. 



The Locust {Bobinia pseud-acacid), from the beauty of its 

 foliage and the excellent qualities of its timber, is justly held in 

 great esteem in America. It abounds in the middle states, and 

 in some situations attains the height of seventy feet, with a dia- 

 meter of four feet. The wood of the iocust tree is of a greenish- 

 yellow colour, marked with brown veins, not unlike the laburnum 

 of this country. It is a close-grained, hard, and compact wood, 

 and is of great strength. It is used, along with live oak and 

 cedar, for the upper timbers of vessels, and is almost invaria- 

 bly used for treenails, to which it is well adapted. It is also 

 employed in some parts of the country as transverse sleepers 

 for railways. Its growth being chiefly confined to the United 

 States, it is not imported into Britain. It is one of the very 

 few trees that are planted by the Americans, and may be seen 

 forming hedge-rows in the highly cultivated parts of Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



The Red Cedar {Juniperus Virginiand) is another valuable 

 wood, the growth of which is confined to the United 

 States. In situations where the soil is favourable it gi'ows 

 to the height of 40 or 50 feet, with a diameter of 12 or 13 

 inches. This wood is of a bright red colour ; it is odorous, 

 compact, fine-grained, and very light, and is used, as already 

 stated, in ship-building, along with live oak and locust to 

 compensate for their weight. It is considered one of the 

 most durable woods of the United States, and bein^f lesi 



