.USES OF WOOD. 211 



and packing-cases, and for purposes where hard- 

 ness, toughness, fineness of grain, and the quality 

 of durability are not needed. Judging by the 

 stalwart appearance of this tree when growing, 

 and by its apparent robustness of constitution, one 

 would imagine that it might rival in utility many 

 of the woods of commerce ; but such, in reality, is 

 not the case. 



Density of fibre is the quality that usually 

 determines the value of wood; the denser the 

 fibre, the harder and heavier the timber, and the 

 greater its commercial importance, because this 

 density of substance means durability. But this 

 particular quality of wood is acquired by slow 

 growth, and the quantity produced being thus 

 naturally limited because the crops take so 

 long to mature the material, as a commercial 

 product, becomes consequently more costly. 

 Within the category of such slow-growing, heavy 

 woods comes one of the most remarkable of them 

 all, the Iron wood, which is so heavy that it sinks 

 in water, a given quantity of this wood being 

 much heavier than its equal bulk of w r ater. The 

 Ironwood tree is related to the Hornbeams, and 

 p 2 



