204 SYLVAN WINTER. 



harder wood, and possesses, besides its hardness 

 a quality not very feminine -^the qualities of tough- 

 nessj flexibility, and durability. Wooden forks 

 used for haymaking and for other purposes of 

 husbandry, spokes for ladders, and hoops, as well 

 as toothpicks and skewers, are made from the 

 wood of this species ; and when it is required to be 

 set firm in any particular shape, it is bent to the 

 form required, and whilst so bent is baked in an 

 oven, and thus fixed. 



As imitation is admitted on all hands to be the 

 sincerest flattery, it may be assumed that the 

 beautiful wood called Ebony is deserving of all 

 the consideration that is paid to it by the manu- 

 facturers of the large number of materials which 

 are made, by the process of dressing, to do duty 

 for the black and heavy product of the Diospyros 

 ebenus, which is the botanical name of the true 

 Ebony. The difference between the true wood 

 and its spurious and contemptible imitations is 

 equal to the difference between a diamond and 

 paste. The term * ebonized ' has crept into use 

 to indicate the thousand and one articles of 

 furniture and articles for ornament which are 



