32 TIMBER 



trade of Norway and Sweden than she did eight or ten 

 years ago. 



The chief timbers used in the building trade of Europe 

 are known as Baltic redwood and Baltic whitewood, although, 

 as will be seen from the above remarks, the name has a 

 much wider signification now than when the timber was 

 shipped from only three or four ports in the Baltic. 



Baltic Kedwood is the timber of the northern pine (Pimis 

 sylvcstris), Fig. 7, or what is incorrectly called Scotch fir. 

 The tree in the more northern regions attains a height of 

 80 ft. at 150 or 200 years old, and gets rid of its branches 

 to a height of over 30 ft. above ground level. It is 

 imported from the old ports of Memel, Dantzic, and 

 Riga, in hewn logs, and from these and numerous other 

 ports on the coasts of the Baltic Sea and Finnish Gulf, as 

 well as from the White Sea, in planks, deals, and battens. 

 The logs are not sawn, but are dressed with the axe almost 

 perfectly square ; there is a slight camber on the sides to 

 allow the water to drain off. The timber in the log 

 generally goes by the old name of Memel or Baltic, and a 

 very excellent quality is now coming from Windau, and 

 can be had in lengths of 35 to 40 ft. and about 12 inches 

 square. The cut timber is known as " yellow deal " in the 

 London market. The name redwood is doubtless derived 

 from the reddish tinge in the whitish yellow coloured wood, 

 and which is more noticeable when the timber is wet. 

 Some of the more northern and hill-grown wood is redder 

 in colour and more resinous, and this colour is liked best 

 for outdoor work. The timber is even and straight in 

 grain ; tough, moderately hard, easily worked and durable. 

 Brindley, the old English engineer, said that " Red Riga 

 deal or pine wood would endure as long as oak in all 

 situations," but this is doubtful ; in protected situations it 



