264 FIRST BOOK" OF FORESTEY 



defined ; the Avood of a light reddish gray color, free from rosin ducts, 

 moderately durable, shrinks and warps considerably, wears rough, 

 retains nails firmly. Used principally for dimension stuff and timbers. 

 Hemlocks are medium- to large-sized trees, commonly scattered among 

 broad-leaved trees and conifers, but often forming forests of almost 

 pure growth. 



1. He^ilock (Tsuga canadensis^ : medium -sized tree ; fiu'nishes almost 



all the hemlock of the eastern market. Maine to Wisconsin ; 

 also following the Alleghenies southward to Georgia and Alabama. 



2. Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) : Large-sized tree; wood claimed to 



be heaWer and harder than the eastern form and of superior 

 quality. Washington to California and eastward to Montana. 



LARCH or TAMARACK. — Wood similar to hard pine in appearance, 

 (|ualiry. and use.s. and, owing to its durability, used in shipbuilding, 

 and for telegraph poles and railroad ties. Our eastern tamarack is not 

 fully appreciated; the western form is used extensively as ordinary 

 lumber. In its structure it resembles spruce. The larches are decidu- 

 ous trees, occasionally covering considerable areas, but usually scattered 

 among other conifers. 



1. Tamarack (Larix laricina) (hackmatack) : Medium-sized tree, 



often covering swamps. Maine to Minnesota, and southward to 

 Pennsylvania. 



2. Tamarack {Larix occidentalism : Large-sized trees, scattered, locally 



abundant. Washington and Oregon to Montana. 



PINE. — Very variable, very light and soft in " soft " pine, such as white 

 pine ; of medium weight to heavy, and quite hard in " hard " pine, of 

 which longleaf or Georgia pine is the extreme form. L'suaUy it is stiff, 

 very strong, of even texture, and more or less resinous. The sapwood 

 is yellowish white ; the heartwood, orange brown. Pine shrinks 

 moderately, seasons rapidly and without much injury ; it works easily ; 

 is never too hard to nail (unlike oak or hickory) ; it is mostly quite 

 durable and, if well seasoned, is not subject to the attacks of boring 

 insects. The heavier the wood, the darker, stronger, and harder it is, 

 and the more it shrinks and checks. Pine is used more extensively 

 than any other kind of wood. It is the princijjal wood in common 



