TIMBER OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 101 



Buttonwood or Western Plane (Platanus occidentalis), 

 also known as sycamore, is plentiful along the basins of the 

 Ohio and Lower Mississippi. In Canada it is confined to 

 South-Wesfcern Ontario. It is quite a different tree to the 

 English sycamore. One of the largest deciduous trees of 

 North America, sometimes attaining a height of 100 ft., it 

 produces timber of yellowish white or reddish brown colour, 

 hard, stiff, strong and tough, often cross grained, difficult 

 to split, which shrinks and warps a good deal ; is not con- 

 sidered durable for outside work, although a good deal of 

 it has been used in the States and Canada for timber 

 quays, and is not much appreciated, though it is sometimes 

 used for internal fittings and cabinet work, also for tobacco 

 boxes and cooperage. It has broad medullary rays, and 

 much of the timber has a beautiful figure. Some is sent 

 to the English market cut on the quarter under the name 

 " lacewood," and used for veneer and fretwork. The true 

 lacewood is the produce of Daphne lagetta. A timber similar 

 to the western buttonwood is obtained from the Platanus 

 racem,'.,sa of California. 



Poplar and Cottonwood, of which there are several varieties, 

 are classed together in the States timber trade. The poplars 

 are more numerous in the northern parts of the States and 

 in the south of Canada. The cottonwoods, of which there 

 are several varieties (Populns monilifora furnishes most of 

 the cottonwood of the market), are found chiefly in the 

 States east and west of the Southern Mississippi. Arkansas, 

 Missouri, and Louisiana provide three-quarters of the whole 

 supply, which amounted in 1905 to nearly 20,000,000 cubic 

 feet. The timber is generally sold as poplar or whitewood, 

 sent to the English market in planks and deals, and is 

 being used by many who have turned to it owing to the 

 high price of white pine. The timber is light, very soft, of 



