AMERICAN FOREST TREES 21 



timbers of this country, and among the softest, While it is not strong, it 

 compares favorably, weight for weight, with most others. It is of rather 

 rapid growth, and the rings of annual increase are clearly defined, 

 and they contain comparatively few resin ducts. For that reason it 

 may be classed as a close, compact wood. It polishes well, may be 

 cut with great ease, and after it is seasoned it holds its form better than 

 most woods. That property fits it admirably for doors and sash and for 

 backing of veneer, where a little warping or twisting would do much 

 harm. 



The medullary rays are numerous but are too small to be easily 

 seen separately, and do not figure much in the appearance of the wood. 

 The resin passages are few and small, but the wood contains enough 

 resin to give it a characteristic odor, which is not usually considered 

 injurious to merchandise shipped in pine boxes. The white color of the 

 wood gives it much of its value. Though rather weak, white pine is 

 stiff, rather low in elasticity, is practically wanting in toughness, has 

 little figure, and when exposed to alternate dryness and dampness it is 

 rated poor in lasting properties; yet shingles and weather boarding of this 

 wood have been known to stand half a century. The sapwood is lighter 

 in color than the heart, and decays more quickly. 



As long as white pine was abundant it surpassed all other woods 

 of this country in the amount used. It was one of the earliest exports 

 from New England, and it went to the West Indies and to Europe. 

 England attempted to control the cutting and export of white pine, but 

 was unsuccessful. At an early period the rivers were utilized for trans- 

 porting the logs and the lumber to market, and that method has con- 

 tinued until the present time. Spectacular log drives were common in 

 early times in New England, later in New York and Pennsylvania, 

 and still later in Michigan and the other Lake States. Many billions 

 of feet of faultless logs have gone down flooded rivers. The scenes in 

 the woods and the life in lumber camps have been written in novels and 

 romances, and the central figure of it all was white pine. 



There are a few things for which this wood is not suitable; other- 

 wise its use has been nearly universal in some parts of this country. 

 It went into masts and matches, which are the largest and smallest 

 commodities, and into almost every shape and size of product between. 

 Most of the early houses and barns in the pine region were built of it. 

 Hewed pine was the foundation, and the shingles were of split and shaved 

 pine. It formed floors, doors, sash, and shutters. It was the ceiling 

 within and the weather boarding without. It fenced the fields and 

 bridged the streams. It went to market as rough lumber, and planing 

 mills turned it out as dressed stock in various forms. It has probably 



