THE SCOTCH FIR. 35 



ported from Norway and the Baltic, the word deal has 

 become the common name for all sorts of pine timber. 

 With the exception of cedar and larch, in respect 

 of toughness and durability Scotch fir produces 

 better timber than any of the pines. It is good, too, 

 almost in proportion to the slowness of its growth. 

 When it is cut directly to the centre, or right across 

 the grain, as for breasts of violins, and the sounding- 

 boards of other musical instruments, it is very beau- 

 tiful, the little stripes formed by the annual layers 

 being small and delicate, and in perfectly straight 

 lines. This pine very often, though not in trees 

 completely matured, contains sap-wood next the 

 bark; and toward the pith it is a little spongy. The 

 best part is that nearest the root; and the roots 

 themselves are excellent for any purpose that their 

 size and shape will answer. It has been mentioned, 

 that pine timber is best in cold situations; it is also 

 best on light soils, and when planted by nature. On 

 strong clay it grows badly, and the timber is worth 

 little; and on rich loams, though it grows rapidly, 

 the timber is of inferior quality, and contains a great 

 deal of sap-wood. At what tune the sap-wood 

 changes to durable wood has not been determined by 

 very accurate observation; although most writers on 

 vegetable physiology conceive that the ligneous mat- 

 ter is deposited in the second year. We have counted 

 four or five annual layers of sap upon some trees, 

 more than a dozen on others; and where trees have 

 been much exposed to the mid-day sun, we have seen 

 the whole southern half little better than sap-wood, 

 while the northern half contained only a layer or two 

 at the circumference. 



Pines, and this pine in particular, occur in much 

 more extensive forests, and with a far less admixture 

 of other trees, than any other genus whatever. Im- 

 mense districts in North America are covered with 



