54 THE PINE. 



suit it best which are favourable also to the sycamore, 

 the elm, the oak, and the ash. A cubic foot of the 

 wood, when recently cut, has an average weight of 

 64 Ibs. ; when dry, the weight is reduced to about 

 36 Ibs. The facility with which it can be worked 

 renders it exceedingly valuable to the carpenter. It 

 is at once straight, light, and stiff; and although like 

 the wood of all other conifers, it contains knots, they 

 are much more easily travelled through by the 

 joiner's tools, and are much less liable to drop out 

 of flooring boards, than is the case with the knotty 

 timber of the spruce and silver fir. Rafters, gir- 

 ders, and joists may be procured of smaller dimen- 

 sions by using Scotch fir than from any other wood 

 yet discovered. 



