100 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



These supplies have been of a quality rather milder than most of the 

 British wood, and of an exceedingly white appearance. 



The concentric layers are cleariy marked. The pores, which are 

 very small and rather obscure, are very regular. The medullary rays 

 are not very clearly marked, but show on the tangential section as fine, 

 rather dark Unes of uneven length. 



HoROEKA. Pseudopanax crassifolium. New Zealand. 



This wood, commonly called lancewood, is reported by the Board of 

 Agriculture of New Zealand as follows : The colour is " Hghtish-brown, 

 sometimes of a satiny lustre ; dense, even, and compact. Procurable in 

 short lengths and up to 4 inches wide. Used for wheelwrights' work." 



Horse-Chestnut. Aesculus Hippocastanum, Linn. Weight, 36 lbs. 

 Great Britain, Europe. 



The timber is white. If the tree be cut down in early winter, then 

 sawn into boards and so forth, and carefully stored thereafter, wood of 

 extreme whiteness may be obtained. If, however, the trunks are felled 

 later in winter or are allowed to he for any length of time, the wood 

 assumes a yellomsh-brown tint. It is of moderate weight, soft, fine- 

 grained, but perishable. The timber has occasionally been used for 

 veneers. In southern Europe it is said to have been used for fruit store 

 shelves ; the porous nature of the wood absorbs the moisture from the 

 fruit, the preservation of which is thereby helped. 



The annual rings are marked by a thin boundary line ; the pores are 

 invisible and scattered ; and the medullary rays are so line as to be 

 invisible to the naked eye. 



Horse-Chestnut, Japanese. Aesculus turhinata, Bl. Japan. 



This wood so nearly resembles the English horse-chestnut that it is 

 unnecessary to give any further description. Some proportion of this 

 Japanese species contains wavy, curly figure and is often mottled. On 

 this account it is highly valued in Japan for decorative woodwork. 



Ichii-Gashi. Quercus Gilva, Bl. Formosa. 



This is a hard, heavy wood of a brick-red colour, with a firm, 

 close texture capable of a very smooth surface from the tool. It has 

 never been imported on a commercial basis, but according to Goto " is 

 valued in the making of agricultural and other tools and implements ; 

 also in making wheels and rudders." It resembles in its quaUties English 

 Uve oak, from which it only differs in colour. 



The pores are very scarce and rather less than moderate size. In 

 between the strong, bright, principal medullary rays are innumerable 



