EUROPEAN TIMBER 49 



worked, and tough. It is valuable as lining for carts, 

 barrows, etc., as the wood dents instead of splitting when 

 struck by heavy objects, for steamboat paddles, brake 

 blocks on railways, and is much used for cricket bats, 

 shoemakers' lasts, and in France for sabots, also for 

 baskets and wicker work. Mr. W. J. Bean, of Kew 

 Gardens, considers the Salix alba, or Huntingdon willow, 

 the best for bat-making. It is found in Essex, Hertford, 

 and Suffolk, but supplies of best " bat willow " have 

 become scarce. 



Lime or Linden (Tilia Enropea), a common European 

 tree, giving a white, soft wood, fine and close in grain, 

 sometimes of a reddish tinge, is used to a small extent in 

 furniture-making; it, as well as the willow, is used for 

 cricket bats and malt shovels, and it makes good pianoforte 

 sounding boards ; it is not suitable for exposed situations, 

 but is fairly durable when kept protected and painted. A 

 good deal used for turning and carving ; much of Grinling 

 Gibbons' carving at Windsor, St. Paul's, and other places 

 was done in lime. There are three kinds of lime included 

 under the above name, the small-leaved lime (T.parvifolid), 

 large-leaved lime (T. platyphytta), and the common lime 

 (T. vulgaris) ; the latter is the most common. Some trees 

 reach a height of 80 ft. and a diameter of 4 ft. 



Weight about 35 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



Apple (Pyrus mains) provides fairly hard, durable, fine- 

 grained wood of reddish brown tint ; it is used largely for 

 turning. It is one of the dark woods of Tunbridge ware, 

 stands well when seasoned, is not so tough as pear. The 

 timber of the wild or crab apple, which grows to a height 

 of 20 to 30 ft., is best. 



Weight about 49 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



