AMERICAN FOREST TREES 207 



brown; the sapwood is thin; medullary rays are numerous and large; 

 pores large; summerwood broad and dense. 



The medullary rays of no wood in this or any other country are 

 more utilized to commercial advantage than those of white oak. 

 Quarter-sawing is for the purpose of bringing them out. They are the 

 bright streaks, clearly visible to the naked eye in the end of an oak log, 

 radiating from the center outward like the spokes of a wheel. Many 

 are too thin to be visible without a magnifying glass. By quarter-saw- 

 ing, the rays are cut edgewise and appear as bright streaks or patches, 

 often called "mirrors," on the surface of boards. The woodworker 

 knows how to finish the boards and treat them with fillers to bring out the 

 figures. 



White oak is a porous wood. Some of the pores are large enough to 

 be visible without a glass, and twenty times as many more can be seen 

 only when magnified. The direction of the pores is up and down the 

 trunk of the tree, and they are seen to best advantage in the end of a 

 stick, although they are always more or less visible on the side of a 

 board when the cutting is a little across the grain. The pores thus cut 

 diagonally across are taken advantage of by the finisher who works 

 stains and fillers into them, and changes their natural color, thereby 

 accentuating the wood's figure. 



The possibilities of white oak are almost infinite. It is good for 

 nearly anything for which any wood is used. It is not the best for every- 

 thing, but does well for most. Hickory is more resilient, ironwood is 

 stronger, locust more durable, white pine warps and checks less; but 

 white oak has so many good qualities in a fan- degree that it can afford 

 to fall below the highest in some, and still rank above competitors on 

 general averages. It ranks high in shipbuilding, general constructionjf"" 

 furniture manufacturing, finish and fixtures, the making of agricultural 

 implements, car building, vehicle stock, cooperage, and many more. 



It is one of the most important of American veneer woods. It is 

 sawed very thin, and is glued upon cores of other wood, thus becoming 

 the covering or outside part. The purpose of using oak veneer instead of 

 the solid wood is twofold. First, it goes farther, and second, a well- 

 built article with veneer outside and a core of other woods which stand 

 well, is superior to a solid oak article, except in cases where great strength 

 is the object sought, or where deep carving is desired. 



The continued use of white oak is assured. It is not necessary to 

 seek new uses for it. The demand is as great as the supply can meet, but 

 the supply is not assured for the distant future. There will always be 

 some white oak in the country ; but the best has been or is being cut 

 The tree grows slowly, and good quarter-sawed white oak cannot be cut 



