50 TIMBER 



Pear (Pyrus communis), a tree of 20 to 50ft. in height and 

 of quick growth ; the wood is much used for drawing curves 

 and set squares, and also much appreciated for carving, as 

 it is cut with equal facility in all directions of the grain. 

 Much old carving was done in pearwood, and some fine 

 specimens are to be seen in the British Museum. The 

 wood is somewhat like the lime, but harder and tougher, 

 fine grained and strong, though it does not stand well 

 unless thoroughly seasoned. A few state-rooms in the 

 Cunarder Mauretania have been carried out in pearwood ; 

 the colour is a yellowish brown, and annual rings are 

 distinct. 



Weight 40 to 44 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



Cherry, of which there are three varieties, Pyrus auium, 

 P. padus, and P. cerasus. The first is the most widely 

 distributed, and sometimes attains a height of 30 to 40 ft. 

 It produces a handsome pale reddish brown wood, used 

 for cabinet work, walking-sticks, pipes, etc. It is only to 

 be got in small sizes, as is the case with apple, pear, and 

 plum, is easily worked, and is one of the best brown woods of 

 the Tunbridge ware workers ; sometimes may be mistaken 

 for birch, but the rays are much more conspicuous in the 

 cherry. The wild cherry is used for furniture in France 

 and other parts of the Continent where the tree abounds. 



Weight 42 to 46 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



Plum, which is somewhat similar to pear, is also used for 

 turnery. 



Weight about 40 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



Common Cypress (Cupressus sempcrvirens) furnishes a 

 timber sometimes called cedar ; it is found in Cyprus, Asia 

 Minor, Persia, and grows in mild localities in Great 



