HARDWOOD RECORD 



29 



th^ 



frames, particularly in the form of bent wood), frame work of street 

 cars, agricultural implements (handles and frames especially), ball 

 bats, tennis rackets, oars, gymnasium bars, boats, furniture, cabinet 

 work, interior finish, flour and sugar barrels, hoops, baskets, firkins, 

 etc. It makes excellent fuel. 



Blue ash (Fraxiniis qtiadrangtdata) derives its common name from 

 the fact that a blue dye is obtained by macerating the inner bark in 

 water, and its specific name because its twigs are four-angled and 

 more or less four-winged. The tree is nowhere abundant and reaches 

 its largest size in the basin of the lower 

 Wabash river, Illinois, and on the western 

 slopes of the Big Smoky mountains, Tennes- 

 see. The wood, which is not distinguished in 

 the market from the true white ash, is as a 

 rule heavier and harder than the other species 

 of ash and takes a higher polish. The lines 

 of pores in the summerwood are long, narrow, 

 prominent, composed of abundant wood pa- 

 renchj-ma and inconspicuous pores; they are 

 usually well distributed. The wood is used 

 for the same purposes as the w-hite ash. 



Eed ash (Frai-inus pentisylvanica) is found 

 on low moist soil near the banks of streams 

 and lakes and, while quite widely distributed 

 throughout the eastern half of the United 

 States, is most common and reaches its best 

 development in the north Atlantic states. Its 

 common name comes from the color of the 

 twigs and bark. The wood is very much like 

 white ash though on the whole not so strong 

 and valuable. It is always sold as white ash. 



The arrangement of the pores in the summerwood is almost identical 

 with that of the less common blue ash, but the wood is not so hard 

 or heavy. 



Green ash {Fraa:inus lanceolata) is by some authorities considered 

 merely a variety of red ash. It is found along the banks of streams 

 from the Allegheny mountains to the Rockies, being most abundant 

 in the Mississippi basin. In the eastern part of its range it appears 

 quite a distinct species, but in the West it grades into the red ash, so 

 far as the appearance of the tree is concerned. The common name, 

 green ash, is probably in reference to the lustrous bright green of 

 both sides of the leaflets. The pores in the early wood are not nu- 

 merous and are in a rather narrow zone, thus distinguishing it from 

 the other species. The lines of pores in the summerwood are quite 

 long and conspicuous and well distributed. The wood is sold as 

 white ash and has the same uses. 



Pumpkin ash (Fraximt^ profunda) is found in deep river swamps 

 often inundated during several months of the year, in southeastern 

 Missouri, eastern Arkansas, and the valley of the lower Appalachicola 

 river, Florida. One of the most prominent features is the much 

 enlarged and buttressed base so characteristic of tupelo. The wood is 

 i-ather soft, brashy, and brittle and not fitted for the exacting uses 

 to which white ash is put. The common name probably refers to the 

 comparatively soft character of the wood in the same way as pumpkin 

 pine is applied to soft, homogeneous old white pine. 



Black ash {Fraxiniis nigra) is a tree of the northeastern quarter 

 of the United States, especially in deep cold swamps and the low 

 banks of streams and lakes. Its name refers to the dark color of 

 the heartwood. It is also known as brown ash. The wood is lighter 

 in weight, softer and weaker than white ash. The pores in the 

 springwood are in a very broad zone, commonly making up one-half 

 or more of the growth ring. This accounts for its lessened weight 

 and strength. The pores in the summerwood are isolated, few, large 

 and rarely joined by wood parenchyma, thus distinguishing the^ wood 

 from that of the preceding species. The wood is extensively used as 

 core for veneers as it glues well. On the market it is usually con- 

 sidered merely a poor grade of white ash. The darker color makes it 

 considerably less perishable in contact with the soil than the wood of 

 the other species. 



Oregon ash (Fraximis oregona), while nowhere abundant, is most 



RADIAL .si;i 1 UJ.X ul .SA.SSAFRAS 

 Note the ])ccnliai-ly devoloped cells on the 

 m.irgin of the ray which crosses the middle of 

 section. Alagnifled fifty diameters. 



common and reaches its largest size on the bottom-lands of the rivers 

 in southwestern Oregon. It also extends into California and Wash- 

 ington. Because of the scarcity of hardwoods in that region it is 

 highly prized for many purposes such as handles, furniture, interior 

 work, fi.xtures, vehicles and saddles. The wood is pale brown, quite 

 hard and strong, rather light, tough and resilient. The sapwood is 

 nearly white, but usually with a reddish tinge. In structure the wood 

 is more like black ash than white ash. The pores in the springwood 

 are in a zone of medium width, commonly composing one-third of the 

 growth ring. Pores in the summerwood appear 

 as though subdivided radially into two to five, 

 and near the outer edge of the ring are some- 

 what tangentially grouped. The ray cells are 

 larger than those of black ash. About one- 

 half million board feet of Oregon ash lumber 

 is consumed annually in Oregon and is worth 

 from $28 to $60 per thousand feet. 



There are few woods which resemble ash 

 even superficially; Chestnut has somewhat 

 the general appearance of bkick ash, but is 

 darker colored and coarser textured. If ex- 

 amined closely it will be noted that in chest- 

 nut the small pores in the summerwood are in 

 radial lines branching more or less toward the 

 outer edge of the ring, while the wood pa- 

 renchyma is in fine tangential lines. This 

 structure is quite distinct from that of ash. 



Sassafras is sometimes confused with black 

 ash, but if smoothly cut cross sections are 

 compared it will be readily seen that the rays 

 of the sassafras are much more distinct, and 

 that the pores in the summerwood are in more numerous small groups 

 tliiin in ash. A fresh cut surface of sassafras usually gives off an aro- 

 matic or spicy odor that is quite characteristic. The sapwood is thin 

 and distinct, while that of ash is thick and often the boundary line 

 between it and the heart is not clearly defined. If a radial section 

 is examined under a compound microscope the ray cells of ash will 

 be found to be all alike, while in sassafras some of the marginal ray 

 cells are very large, ovate or round. 



The waxy exudations from the trunk and leaves of a certain ash 

 {Fraxinus ormis) of southern Europe and Asia Minor furnish the 

 manna of commerce used in medicine as a gentle laxative; and the 

 Chinese white wax is obtained from branches of species in eastern 

 Asia. S. J. R. 



Hardwoods Used for Matches 



In Germany, most of the four-sided matches are manufactured 

 from veneer sheets of linden (basswood), Cottonwood and willow. 

 Rather extensive experiments have been made to determine the 

 adaptability of other woods for the purpose. These consisted for 

 the most part of taking four-sided matches and noting the time they 

 required, when placed horizontally, to burn down to one inch, both 

 with and without paraffin impregnation. 



Without paratBn the duration was longer in hardwoods than in 

 conifers, the flame mors even and less sputtering, which in conifers 

 makes 11: necessary to turn the match to prevent its extinguishment. 

 Impregnation with parafSn hastened the progress and illuminating 

 power of the flame by from four to six seconds, on the average. 

 With such impregnation the following scale, gauged by duration, 

 luminosity and size and regularity of flame, i. e., quality, was 

 obtained: linden, Cottonwood, willow, yellow poplar, alder and walnut. 

 Of the conifers the white pines gave best satisfaction, as they threw 

 fewer sparks and spluttered less than the others. 



When the auto people want the best thing for spokes they hunt 

 wood. That's a good nay to get the best things for bodies. 



You can spoil your trade by shipping stock that is above grade 

 just as easily as you can spoil your reputation by shipping stock that 

 is below grade. A grade is a good thing to stick mighty close to. 



