NOTES AND QUERIES. 211 
for their purposes, it being a cheap substitute for whitewood. 
It is an excellent wood for the turner, as it is not easily split; 
and it would be very suitable for light boxes, toys, etc. It 
holds paint well, but is not durable in contact with the soil, 
or when exposed to the weather. The wood is light when 
seasoned, and white to light brown in colour. It is suitable 
for most purposes where poplar or other softwoods can be 
used, is exceptionally free from knots, and has a nice surface; 
planes well, but has practically no figure. It is apt to warp 
a little, but this can be largely obviated if care is taken 
when drying. It is at present supplied to this country in 
boards and planks, and we believe that a future is looming 
up for this cheap and useful wood.— Abridged from Zhe Timber 
News and Saw-mill Engineer, January 28, 1905. 
Hickory BECOMING SCARCE. 
The increasing scarcity of hickory in the United States has 
alarmed manufacturers of wooden vehicles to such an extent 
that, ata meeting of over 200 representatives of these manu- 
facturers, the advisability of taking the matter before Congress 
was discussed. It is stated that hickory trees have recently 
been attacked by an insect which, it is said, is fast destroying 
that class of timber. “There are now but three States from 
which we can draw our supplies,” said Mr P. F. Van Buren, 
of Evansville, Ind., “and hickory trees are becoming extinct 
in these States. The shortage of this article, which is the 
most essential component of a wooden vehicle, will probably 
necessitate a general rise in prices of all wooden vehicles.”— 
The Timber News and Saw-mill Engineer, January 21, 1905. 
WaTER IN CREOSOTE FOR TIMBER PRESERVING. 
Mr E. H. Bowser, M.Am.I.C.E., has reported to the 
Louisiana Engineering Society that creosote used for timber 
preserving may contain 24 per cent. of water without requiring 
any allowance to be made in the quantity injected; but in no 
case should the creosote hold more than 8 per cent. of water. 
