224 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



tint. It contains a considerable quantity of sap-wood which is usually 

 more or less discoloured, probably due to the manner in which the timber 

 is handled after being sawn, or to shipment being made before the wood 

 is satisfactorily dried. 



It is usually shipped in lengths of from lo to i6 feet. The timber 

 would probably be more in demand if it could be obtained in longer 

 lengths, as the purposes for which it is employed in the United Kingdom 

 generally call for wood of greater length. 



Pine, Red Baltic. Pinus sylvestris, Linn. Northern Europe. 



From early times it has been customary to describe Baltic pine by the 

 terms " red," or " yellow," or " timber." This last term is limited to 

 square-hewn baulks from 7 inches up to as much as 18 inches and more 

 square, which has been received intermittently from the Baltic for 

 upwards of 200 years. The timber was generally used for construc- 

 tional work of all kinds, but particularly for beams of heavy roof timbers, 

 for piles and general wharf construction and, to a limited extent, for 

 shipbuilding. Judging from specimens which have been taken from 

 very old buildings, this timber has been found to be exceedingly durable. 



Originally it was only imported in hewn squares, and in deals and 

 planks ; by degrees, however, this developed into a general import of 

 boards, battens, deals, planks, and scantlings of all kinds and sizes, 

 Laslett gives the figures of import in 1874 as about 3,500,000 Swedish 

 deals, 7,000 loads of timber and 18,000 fathoms of firewood, besides a 

 large quantity of boards for floorings. 



In earlier days also there was a considerable import of Norwegian 

 timber of the same description. The deals and planks then imported from 

 Christiania were considered to be the finest material obtainable for 

 joiners' work, and to the present day specifications name " joiners' work 

 to be of the best Christiania deal." The larger proportion of this was 

 hewn out by hand without the use of the saw. The last shipments of 

 Chnstiania deals were seen in London more than forty years ago. Since 

 this time the import from Norway has gradually become restricted to 

 smaU-sized scantHngs and battens, which were generally of very inferior 

 quahty. In addition to these, large quantities of prepared floorings and 

 matchings of all sizes and quahties, including the highest class material, 

 have been shipped from Christiania, Frederikstad, Drammen, and else- 

 where. In this there is still a considerable trade. 



Pine, Riga. Pinus sylvestris, Linn. 



The supply of this wood is similar in all respects to that of red 

 Baltic pine. 



