QUALITY OF BRITISH-GKOWN CONIFEROUS TIMBERS. 165 



especially valuable, and when made into furniture has re- 

 mained unchanged for fully thirteen years. 



GinkgfO biloba.. — Age unknown, being a wall tree; 

 probably 50 years ; soil light, rich loam. Timber soft, brittle, 

 and of a light yellow colour. For indoor work it looks well, 

 and appears little different after seven years' wear. 



Juniperus Bermudiana. — Age uncertain ; felled 

 owing to injur)^ by the frost. Height 17 feet ; timber soft, light, 

 easily worked, slightly fragrant, and of a buff yellow colour. 



J. communis. — Wood of a beautiful yellowish-brown 

 colour, hard, but readily cut, and very aromatic. Made into 

 ornaments, it seems to stand well, there being no perceptible 

 difference in thirty-eight years. 



J. recurva. — The wood of a specimen 17 feet in height 

 and 10 inches in diameter was hard, fine of grain, and took a 

 nice polish. 



J. virgfinaana. — Probably the largest and finest speci- 

 men of this somewhat rare tree that has ever been felled 

 in Britain was cut down recently to make room for building 

 operations in the pretty village of Esher, in Surrey. The 

 tree was of unusual proportions, with a beautifully clean and 

 well-rounded stem, which was destitute of branches for 33 

 feet in length, and contained fully 51 feet of timber. This is 

 the wood used so largely in England in the manufacture of 

 " cedar pencils," and that of the tree in question is of excel- 

 lent quality and beautifully grained, the heartwood being of 

 a fine red colour with a band of deep yellow around the 

 margin. The fragrance of the wood is justly remarkable, 

 and in the case of the Esher specimen could be distinctly 

 detected at a distance of about twenty yards. The soil which 

 produced this perhaps unique tree is desp sandy loam, and 

 the position might be said to be partially sheltered at least. 



Larix penduSa. — x-^ge, about 32 years; cubic contents 18 

 feet ; soil light, deep loam. Timber dark brown towards the 

 centre, lighter, almost white, outside ; heavy, hard, strong, not 

 so fine of graining as the common species. Have only cut up 

 the wood, but not used it in any experimental way. 



