14 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



split on any plane radial, tangential or intermediate. When these sur- 

 faces are planed smooth, the appearance of the corrugations still re- 

 mains, the semblance to light and shadow in the smooth surface being 

 so perfect that we almost have to feel before we can believe that the 

 waves do not really exist. 



This is the " curly figure." Maple timber which bears it is known 

 as CURLY MAPLE, and is very choice. It finds a ready sale, and is cut 

 into veneering for elegant furniture, interior car and cabin decoration, 

 etc. To represent this important figured wood we have introduced in 

 the accompanying specimens an extra set (marked #6 a ) of the Silver- 

 leaved Maple, which shows the figure very perfectly. It will be noticed, 

 on reference to that, that the figure, unlike that of the Blister and Birds- 

 eye Maples (represented in Part I as Nos. 7 a and 7 b ), is scarcely, if at 

 all, noticeable in the transverse section. The figure is common to the 

 Red and Sugar Maples, as well as the one now before us, and is occa- 

 sionally found in other timbers. 



It is more difficult to detect this figure in the untouched tree than 

 is the birds-eye figure. Indeed, it rarely can be detected, unless it be 

 very coarse, without exposing the wood, and then the surface is found to 

 be corrugated, the corrugations running transversely around the tree and 

 the inner surface of the bark corresponding. The size of the corruga- 

 tions is quite variable, one tree having several " curls " to the inch and 

 another, perhaps, not more than one or a part of one to the inch. 



ORDER LEG-UMINOSJE: PULSE FAMILY. 



Leaves alternate, usually compound entire and furnished with stipules. Flowers 

 \dth 5 sepals more or less united at the base ; petals 5, papilionaceous or regular; 

 stamens diadelphous, monodelphous or distinct and with versatile anthers; pistils 

 single, simple and free. Fruit a legume (pod) with mostly albuinenless seeds. 



GENUS GYMNOCLADUS, LAM. 



Leaves alternate, large, sometimes 3 ft. in length, unequally bipinnate with ovate- 

 acuminate stalked leaflets 1-2 inches in length, standing vertically and of a dull- 

 green color, single leaflets sometimes being in place of pinnae: stipules wanting. 

 Flowers whitish, about 1 inch in length, dioecious or polygamous and in racemes 3-6 

 inches in length; calyx tubular, 5-cleft; petals 5, oblong', equal and inserted on the 

 summit of the calyx-tube; stamens 10, short, distinct and also inserted on the sum- 

 mit of the calyx-tube. Fruit a large, flat, oblong, curved pod 6-10 in. (15-25 cm.) 

 in length and nearly or quite 2 in. (5 cm.) in breadth, hard and of a brownish color, 

 pulpy inside and containing several very hard and flattish seeds over | in. (1.3 cm.) in 

 diameter. 



Trees. (Gymnocladus is from the Greek yv/iiro's, naked, and nXatio'S, branc7i, in 

 allusion to the peculiarly bare appearance of the branches in winter.) 



