OAK TIMBER 145 



and the wood is then softer and more porous, beautifully 

 speckled, and shrinking little (fig. 39, middle). Such 

 wood is excellent for sculpture and carving, and is very 

 pretty ; it is also well adapted for cooperage. 



In deep soil of moderate quality, in hilly country, 

 and growing as coppice under standards, we have a wood 

 of irregular growth and not very valuable, but useful 

 in an all-round way for sawing and splitting (fig. 39, 

 bottom). 



Speaking generally, it is found that, other things 

 being equal, the most resistant, closest, and toughest 

 timber comes from isolated trees growing in the open ; 

 straight and long timber, less marked for the above 

 qualities, comes, on the contrary, from trees grown in 

 close, high forest. This is the conclusion arrived at by 

 the naval authorities in France and England, and may 

 be accepted as according with the facts of structure, &c. 

 Some differences may be put down to the varieties, 

 but probably Boppe is right in concluding that rate of 

 growth, &c. due to differences in the soil and climate 

 are the determining causes. 



The builder employs oak for sills, staircase treads, 

 keys, wedges and trenails, gate-posts and doors, and 

 superior joinery. 



Kailway-sleepers are best made of young oak, as 

 it is denser, and the Austrians say such sleepers last 

 from seven to ten years if not treated, and for as long 

 as sixteen years if treated with zinc chloride and other 

 preservatives. 



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