268 FIBST BOOK OF FOKESTKY 



RED FIR (Pseudotsuga douglasii) (yellow fir, Oregon pine, Douglas 

 spruce) : The most important tree of the western United States ; 

 grows very large in the Pacific States, to fair size in all parts of 

 the mountains, in Colorado up to about ten thousand feet above sea 

 level ; forms extensive forests, often of pure growth. Wood very 

 variable, usually coarse grained and heavy, with very pronounced 

 summer wood, hard and strong ( u red " fir), but often fine grained 

 and lighter (" yellow " fir). Jt replaces hard pine and is especially 

 suited to heavy construction. From the plains to the Pacific Ocean 

 and from Mexico to British America. 



TAMARACK. (See LARCH.) 



YEW. Wood heavy, hard, extremely stiff and strong, of fine texture, 

 with a pale yellow sapwood, and an orange red heart ; seasons well, and is 

 quite durable. Yew is extensively used for archery, bows, turner's ware, 

 etc. The yews form no forests, but occur scattered with other conifers. 

 YEW (Taxus brevifoli(i) : A small- to medium-sized tree of the Pacific 

 region. 



B. BROAD-LEAVED WOODS (HARDWOODS) 



Woods of complex and very variable structure and therefore differing 

 widely in quality, behavior, and consequently in applicability to the arts. 



ASH. Wood heavy, hard, strong, stiff, quite tough, not durable in con- 

 tact with soil, straight grained, rough on the split surface, and coarse in 

 texture. The wood shrinks moderately, seasons with little injury, and 

 stands well. In carpentry ash is used for finishing lumber, stairways, 

 panels, etc. ; it is used in shipbuilding, in the construction of cars, 

 wagons, carriages, etc., in the manufacture of farm implements, 

 machinery, and especially of furniture of all kinds, and also for har- 

 ness work ; for barrels, baskets, oars, tool handles, hoops, clothespins, 

 and toys. The trees of the several species of ash are rapid growers, of 

 small to medium height, with stout trunks ; they form no forests, but 

 occur scattered in almost all our broad -leaved forests. 

 1. WHITE ASH (Fraxinus americana) : Medium-, sometimes large-sized 

 tree. Basin of the Ohio, but found from Maine to Minnesota and 

 Texas. 



