CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 255 



The colour is a dull brick-red, deepening and improving in tone with 

 age and exposure. The timber is generally straight-grained, and similar 

 in its style of marking to that of most pines, but it is possible to find trees 

 possessing curly and wavy figure, and sometimes having burrs. Some 

 of the colour can be washed out of the wood if it is exposed to the rain 

 and wet, as with African padauk ; and Gibson says : " This colouring 

 matter, when washed out in large amounts in the process of paper-making, 

 has been manufactured into fuel gas." 



Although soft, the timber dulls the edge of the tool, and its uses are 

 those in which hardwoods are usually employed. It splits easily, but so 

 does the hardest oak. It makes very good and handsome paneUing, and 

 is not too soft for this purpose. It is strong enough to be used in America 

 for shingles, all sorts of joinery work, sleepers for railways, and paving 

 blocks. In all these it is satisfactory, and the wood is so strong and 

 durable that, according to Gibson, when the sleepers are worn out the 

 rejected worn ties (sleepers) are gathered up by thousands and used 

 for fence posts. It is deceptive in regard to its qualities of seasoning. 

 However long it may have been drying, the wood, when cut, gives the 

 impression that it is not properly seasoned, yet with less period allowed 

 for drying than might be expected to be necessary it has been found to 

 stand in places where other timbers would have failed. A short time ago 

 some work was required to be carried out in sequoia, and it was found 

 that wood seasoned for any length of time was unobtainable. The work 

 had to be completed with wood which the workmen did not consider to 

 be seasoned, yet it was found that no shrinkage occurred, although part 

 of the work included a mantelpiece and overmantel of a fireplace, where 

 even thoroughly seasoned wood of other sorts will sometimes fail. It 

 has been used extensively for shipbuilding work, for fittings and pattern- 

 making. The late Mr. Wilberforce Bryant had a much-admired room 

 at Stoke Poges panelled with sequoia. As it is not Uable to shrink, 

 and is obtainable in very wide widths, it is very suitable for signboards 

 and panels of all sorts. Reference is made elsewhere to the common 

 idea that all timbers, if used for decorative work, should be french 

 polished, and perhaps the fact that this wood does not take kindly to 

 poHsh is one of the reasons that it has not been more commonly used. 

 If, however, the work is treated instead in a way suitable to its appear- 

 ance, very satisfactory results can be obtained. 



The wood has been recommended for pencil-making. There is no 

 evidence to show whether it has given satisfactory results, but it would 

 be desirable to make experiments, as a substitute for pencil cedar 

 [Juniperus virginiana) is much required. 



The annual rings are clearly marked by a dark band of stronger 

 grain, and are verj^ irregular. The tree generally makes large growth in 



