OUR COMMON WOODS 227 



distinct than in white oak and it is possible to see into 

 them with a hand lens. 



The wood of the oaks is used for all kinds of furniture, 

 interior finish, cooperage, vehicles, cross-ties, posts, fuel, 

 and construction timber. 

 \. Woods with none of the rays large and conspicuous. 



(a) Pores in late wood small and in radial hues, wood 

 parenchyma in inconspicuous tangential lines. 



Chestnut. Pores in early wood in a broad band, oval in 

 shape, mostly free from tyloses. Pores in late wood in 

 flame-like radial white patches that are plainly visible 

 without lens. Color medium brown. Nearly odorless 

 and tasteless. Chestnut is readily separated from oak 

 by its weight and absence of large rays; from black ash 

 by the arrangement of the pores in the late wood; from 

 sassafras by the arrangement of the pores in tlie late wood, 

 the less conspicuous rays, and the lack of distinct color. 

 The wood is used for cross-ties, telegraph and telephone 

 poles, i)osts, furniture, cooperage, and tannin extract. Dura- 

 ble in contact with the ground. 



(b) Pores in late wood small, not radially arranged, being 

 distributed singly or in groups. Wood parenchyma around 

 ])ores or extending wing-like from pores in late wood, often 

 forming irregular tangential lines. 



1, Ash. Pores in early wood in a rather broad band (occa- 

 sionally narrow), oval in shape, see Fig. 148, tyloses present. 

 Color brown to white, sometimes with reddish tinge to 

 late wood. Odorless and tasteless. There are several 

 species of ash that are classed as white ash and one that 

 is called black or brown ash. 



(a) White ash. Wood heavy, hard, strong, mostly light 

 colored except in old heartwood, which is reddish. Pores 

 in late wood, especially in the outer part of the annual ring, 

 are joined by lines of wood parenchj'ma. 



(b) Black ash. Wood more porous, lighter, softer, weaker, 

 and darker colored than white ash. Pores in late wood 

 fewer and larger and rarely joined by tangential Unes of 

 wood parenchyma. 



The wood of the ashes is used for wagon and carriage 



