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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



generally was. It appears upon examination of the finish in very 

 old houses which are still standing. There were some good joiners 

 in those days of hand tools, and a few of them achieved excellent 

 results ; but the generality of the work done then in the line of 

 interior finish was crude in comparison with what the planing 

 mill and wood-working factory turn out at the present time. 



Numerous and excellent machines have been invented for work- 

 ing in wood, and to them the credit is largely due for the fine trim 

 which is now found, not only in expensive buildings, but likewise 

 in those of only moderate cost. Joiners and carpenters are needed 

 in as large numbers as ever, but by taking advantage of machine- 

 dressed stock, they produce better work and more rapidly than 

 their ancestors were able to do. 



Finish is classified as interior and exterior, that belonging inside 

 the house, and that intended for the outside. The principal inside 

 items are ceiling, beams, wainscoting, molding, pilasters, frames, 

 stairs, brackets, and ornaments. Floors are usually considered to 

 be separate from finish, but the two belong in the same general 

 class, and some manufacturers specialize in flooring. Items almost 

 beyond counting belong with interior trim. 



The outside of the house receives finish of wood, also, and the 

 separate items are no less numerous than those belonging inside, 

 but the larger of such are cornice, porch columns, railing, balusters, 

 and window and door frames. One part of the frame may be 

 regarded as outside finish, the other as inside, for the frame may 

 extend through the wall. The siding or weatherboarding is some- 

 times regarded 

 as finish and 

 sometimes other- 

 wise. In that 



RICH BUT NOT GAUDY 



The accompanying picture of a doorway of white pine 

 attracts by its plainness and perfect harmony. From the 

 days of the Puritan Fathers down to the present time the 

 northern white pine has held its place against all rivals 

 as material for exterior and interior finish, and particularly 

 as doorways of simple plainness. 



WHITE PINE CORNICE DETAIL 



Though white pine is one of our softest woods, its ability 

 to stand long exposure to the weather is remarkable. The 

 secret of this lies principally in the fine painting qualities 

 of this pine. Oil and white lead adhere to its smooth sur 

 face and exclude dampness, thereby hindering decay and 

 weathering. Fine detail lines remain sharp and distinct. 



respect it is like flooring. Buildings of nearly all kinds require 

 wood trim either outside or in, or both. The house of brick, stone, 

 or cement is no exception. Wood is the most popular and most 

 widely used finish, though in some instances metal, marble, tile, or 

 some other material takes its place. The cheapness or the costli- 

 ness of a house does not determine whether the trim shall be of 

 wood or of something else. Houses of great cost use the output 

 of the planing mill for ceilings, panels, columns, and stairs and 

 the modest cottage does the same. Wood serves the poor and 

 appeals to the rich, and it ministers to the wants and the tastes of 

 both without prejudice or distinction. But there are differences 

 in the way it is used and in the motives leading to its employment, 

 depending upon the builder's skill, purse, purpose, and education. 

 A wooden stair may be as rude and coarse as the ladder leading to 

 the haymow of a barn, or it may be fine and faultless enough for 

 a palace ; ceilings may be common or they may be exquisite ; posts 

 and columns may be simple and small or carved and massive. Wood 

 serves for all, meets multitudes of demands, in all places and 

 under various circumstances. 



Exterior woodwork is usually painted to protect it against the 

 weather; but paint is not needed to protect inside finish, though 

 paint may be used for the sake of appearances. Wood which does 

 duty outside would soon become weathered and dull, unless covered 

 with paint ; yet, sometimes a weathered and dull appearance is 

 precisely what is wanted, especially for siding and shingles, and 

 these are frequently and purposely left unpainted, and when they 

 take on the color of a hornet's nest, they are regarded as very 

 artistic. The exteriors of most houses are kept well acquainted 

 with the paint brush. The life of weatherboarding is easily 



