ALDER 



It will not take nails as it splits too readily. " Good for turnery 

 . . . compact, . . . easily worked, sometimes handsomely 

 figured . . . not durable . . . ship-frames " (95). 



Authorities. Nordlinger (86), vol. v. p. 44. Hough (n), 

 pt. ii., p. 35. Wiesner (131), L. i, p. 62. Macoun (65). Laslett 

 (60), p. 182. Sargent (100), No. 299. C. Robb (95). 



Sometimes confused with Beech or Maple. 



Colour. Uniform reddish-brown heart-wood, well but not 

 sharply defined from the 2-4 inches of yellowish-white sap-wood. 



Anatomical Characters. Transverse section :- 



Pores. Clearly visible without lens : medium, size 3, somewhat 

 variable : evenly distributed, loosely branched : numerous, 

 40-70 per sq. mm. : groups of subdivided pores from 1-5 pores 

 in radial or nest-like groups : white. 



Rays. Need lens, fine, size 5 : nearly straight, slight undula- 

 tions here and there : long, but often tapering to fine ends : uni- 

 form in breadth : denser than the ground : rather numerous, 

 4-5 per mm. : brown : a pore-width or more apart, irregularly 

 spaced. 



Rings. Fairly clear in the solid, less so in a transparent section: 

 boundary, a fine, darker-brown line of Autumn wood, and often a 

 loose ring or pores : contour well-rounded : colour uniform. 



Soft-tissue. None, or merely occasional cells or strings. 



Radial Section. Pores, fine scratches, sometimes shining : 

 rays, minute brown lines or flakes readily visible or even notice- 

 able, not lustrous : rings extremely fine but very clear, brown 

 lines. 



Tangential Section. As the Radial, but the rays are extremely 

 fine lines, scarcely visible with lens, and the rings broaden a little 

 in the loops, but still remain very thin. 



Type specimens from commercial sources and also authenticated 

 by Hough. 



No. 190. ALDER. Alnus glutinosa. W. 

 PLATE XIV. FIG. 121. 



Natural Order. Cupuliferae. 



Synonyms. Alnus communis, Desf. Betula Alnus, Linn. B. 

 glutinosa, Lam. 



Alternative Names. Black Alder, Common Alder. Aune 

 commune : Vergne (69). Gemeine-, Schwartz-, or Roth-erle (86). 

 Else : EUer (68). 



Sources of Supply. Europe. 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 26-41 i Ibs. per 

 cu. ft. Hardness Grade 7, compare Birch. Splits easily, 

 none. Taste slightly astringent. Burns well in a current of air : 



217 



