210 SYLVAN WINTER. 



remote forests, its wood is not obtainable in large 

 quantity. So fine, hard, and compact is its 

 grain, and so white is its substance, that por- 

 tions, highly polished, have been likened to 

 ivory. 



Another hard and close-grained wood, that of 

 the Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), though possess- 

 ing great strength and durability, will not take 

 a good polish, and hence is not so useful for 

 many purposes on that account. It is heavy, 

 and possesses great strength. It makes, too, 

 capital charcoal, and produces, in burning, great 

 heat. In its comparatively young state the wood 

 of the Hornbeam is used for many kinds of 

 wheelwright's work, for mill- cogs, and other 

 purposes where toughness and hardness are 

 requisite. 



The Horse Chestnut (JEsculus hippocastanum) 

 possesses qualities which are the reverse of the 

 woods last mentioned, for mainly, no doubt on 

 account of its rapidity of growth, its wood is soft, 

 not very strong, and not very durable where much 

 exposure to the weather is requisite ; but it is 

 sometimes used for plank-flooring, cart-linings, 



