34 THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF WOOD. 



One half of the thirty known species of the genus Fraxinus 

 inhabit North America. 



The name ash is also applied to several species of the genus Pyrus or Sorbus, 

 to which the apple, pear, quince, and some other trees belong, 

 other "fruitwoods" are in different genera. 



Most trees that yield common edible fruits are valued for them and such trees 

 are not normally cut down to any extent for wood. 



The Sweet or American Crab Apple tree (Pyrus coronana) is native, in 

 mittently, from Massachusetts and Nebraska, southward into Georgia and Texas. 

 It rarely grows over twenty-five feet in height and one foot in diameter, and is 

 often a low shrub. The hard, close-grained wood is occasionally used in turnery. 

 The trees are particularly prized in landscape effects, because of their sweet 

 scented flowers. The Oregon Crab Apple (Pyrus rivularis) grows naturally from 

 California to Alaska and is sometimes forty feet in height. The- fine, hard, heavy, 

 close-grained wood is used for tool handles, mallets and similar small, turned 

 objects. The Narrowleaf Crab Apple (Pyrus angustifolia) affords a similar wood, 



The Apple (Pyrus malus) is a small tree, rarely much over thirty feet in height. 

 It origated in Europe, but is now common in all temperate climates. The hard, 

 heavy, close-grained wood is brittle and apt to warp during seasoning. It is 

 preeminently an implement wood and is sometimes turned into tool handles and 

 other small objects. Many varieties have been perfected by cultivation, as see 

 "The Apples of New York," Beach, Booth & Taylor, published by N Y. State 

 Dept. Agriculture, etc. 



The Pear (Pyrus communis) is a native of Europe and Asia, but is now cul- 

 tivated in most temperate climates. The wood is rather hard and heavy, and so 

 firm, tough, fine and close-grained that it has been used in printing. It was once 

 valued for drawing-squares and triangles, but has been largely replaced for these 

 purposes by hard rubber and celluloid. Pearwood is turned. It is used for 

 furniture and is sometimes ebonized for small objects. Many varieties have been 

 obtained by cultivation. ^ ^ ^_ 



The Orange (several species of Citrus as Citrus aurantium and Citrus tri- 

 foliata) was introduced into the West Indies, Florida, Louisiana and California 

 from Asia or the Mediterranean shores. It is a small tree with oily, evergreen 

 foliage, fragrant flowers and edible fruit. Fruit, oils and essences are highly 

 prized. Trees are seldom cut. The strong, hard, heavy, very close-grained, 

 lemon colored wood is made into souvenirs or other small objects. A piece of 

 American orange wood ten inches wide was exhibited at the St. Louis Exposition. 

 Many varieties of orange have been obtained by cultivation. 



The Olive (Olea europaea) was introduced from Asia or the Mediterranean 

 countries into Southern California by the early Spanish Missions. The irregular 

 trees, thirty or forty feet in height, have evergreen foliage and oily fruit. The 

 fruit is so valuable that the trees are seldom cut. The mottled, rich orange-brown 

 heartwood of foreign trees, made into souvenirs, inlaid work and other small 

 objects, is hard, heavy, very close-grained and may be highly j>olished. but is not 

 prized unless taken from older trees. American olive wood is not particularly 

 attractive, because the heartwood has not matured sufficiently. Many varieties 

 of olive have been obtained by cultivation. 



