TRUE WOODS 



257 



leads to its use for piling, wet cooperage, and railway ties. 

 The great beauty of the wood, especially on radial section 

 as shown in "quarter-sawing," and its susceptibility of fine 

 polish combined with its other valuable qualities make oak 



Fig. 240. — Transverse section of birch 

 wood, I. (Hartig.) 



ilpp 



Fig. 242.— Red Oak (Quercus 

 rubra, Beech Family, 

 Fagacew). Flowering and 

 fruiting branch, h- At the 

 base of the leaf is u pis- 

 tillate flower. (Britton 

 and Brown.) — Tree grow- 

 ing 40 m. tall ; bark rlark 

 gray; leaves dull green; 

 flowers greenish yellow; 

 fiult reddish, requiring 

 two years to ripen. Na- 

 t i V e home, Eastern 

 North America. 



Fig. 



Z41. — Transverse section of beech 

 wood, 1. (Hartig.) 



one of the most highly valued woods for furniture and in- 

 terior finish, and even for turnery and carving in spite of 

 its coarse texture. Many species afford timber. 



Chestnut (Figs. 24-26) though of less value than oak where 

 much strength is required and of inferior beauty, is, on ac- 



