394 APPLIED SCIENCE 



and to overcome this weakness it is usually paneled with 

 chestnut. 



Pear wood is a light yellow wood with an even grain and 

 is, consequently, used for carving. 



Chestnut is coarse-grained, strong, elastic, light, and 

 durable. In appearance it resembles oak and is used in the 

 manufacture of cheap grades of furniture. 



Ebony is a heavy, hard, durable wood capable of being 

 polished to a high luster. 



Mahogany is found in two grades Honduras and Spanish. 

 The Honduras mahogany has a coarse, loose, and straight 

 grain without much curl. The Spanish mahogany is dark, 

 has a very fine close texture and considerable curl, and is 

 free from any tendency to warp. Because of its high price, 

 it is often veneered on some cheaper wood. 



Hickory wood is very heavy, hard, and close-grained. It is 

 used for clubs, handles of tools, etc. 



Ash is of two kinds, black and white. It resembles oak 

 to a great extent, but when worked is not so likely to split. 



Beech is a very close, tough wood resembling a pale birch 

 in color. Its surface has a somewhat speckled appearance. 



Birch is a very close-grained wood, strong, and easily 

 worked. It is pale, yellowish brown in color. 



Cedar resembles mahogany, although more purplish in 

 color. It has no curl and is free from any tendency to warp. 

 The best varieties have a peculiar aroma which is offensive 

 to moths; for this reason, cedar chests are used for clothing. 



It is impossible to describe the grains of woods in such a 

 way that one can be readily distinguished from another. Yet 

 with a little practice the eye quickly learns to note their 

 characteristics and the experienced wood-worker can tell 

 one kind of wood from another at a glance. 



