116 TIMBER 



The Black Locust (Eobinia pseudacacia) , also called yellow 

 locust, is tough, coarse in texture, durable in contact with 

 soil, and shrinks a good deal in seasoning ; the yellowish 

 sapwood is very narrow, the heartwood is brownish with 

 shades of red and green. Used in America for wagon 

 hubs, treenails, railway ties, posts, etc., and abroad for 

 furniture, it is one of the best woods for insulator pins on 

 telegraph posts, but it is getting scarce. 



The Honey Locust (Gleditschia triacanthos) is a somewhat 

 similar wood, but so far is not much used, except for 

 fencing and fuel. 



Some is known in the trade as brown locust and sold in 

 logs by weight. 



Great numbers of locust trees were planted in England 

 many years ago, chiefly owing to the praise given them by 

 William Cobbett. 



Locust also grows in Australia, but must not be con- 

 founded with the locust of the tropics (Hymenaia courbaril). 

 The tree is very subject to damage by a boring insect. 



Weight of wood 42 to 48 Ibs. per cubic feet. 



Osage Orange or Bois d'Arc (Madura aurantiaca), a tree 

 found in Texas and Louisiana, produces a very hard, heavy 

 wood of brown colour which turns grey on exposure, 

 strong, tough and flexible, of coarse texture which shrinks 

 a good deal in drying, and is very durable. It is much used 

 in the United States for wagon framing and motor wheels, 

 and for the latter has been used in Europe ; it is easily 

 split, so is unfit for hubs, but it is very suitable for spokes ; 

 it is considered to be one of the timbers likely to supply the 

 place of black locust for insulator pins on telegraph poles. 



Dogwood (Cornus florid a), or American box, grows both in 

 the States and Canada, and attains a height of about 



