COLOUR AND TEXTUEE. 59 



wood are, among others : — fitting together the object out of as 

 many pieces as possible (either cut from different sections of 

 the same wood, or from pieces of difterent species), as in billiard 

 cues ; steaming or boiling the wood ; soaking it in turpentine, 

 which fills its pores, and excludes water ; allowing spaces for 

 the expansion of pieces of wood, as in panel-work, door and 

 window-frames, and where beams are let into masonry; where- 

 ever possible, isolating the wood from air- or soil-moisture, as in 

 the case of wood-parquetry for floors, &c. 



Steaming wood is an excellent and long-approved method to 

 prevent warping ; makers of gun-stocks, artistic furniture, im- 

 plements, &c., have long since adopted this practice. Steamed 

 wood is said not to warp much, nor is it subject to be worm- 

 eaten, while the wood becomes darker and better coloured. This 

 method is especially employed with the wood of oak and beech. 

 It has not yet been decided that this improved condition is due 

 to the washing-out of reserve-material or hygroscopic salts from 

 the wood, but there can be no doubt that the strength of the wood 

 is not sensibly impaired. 



The most frequent object of steaming wood is, however, to 

 render it flexible ; it can then be put to a number of uses, in 

 which it undergoes great changes of shape. 



Skction X. — Colour and Texture of Wood. 



Colour and texture are properties of wood which please the 

 eye ; they are subject to the whims of fashion, which give cer- 

 tain woods a local and temporary value in excess of others. 

 Although the forester cannot produce at will woods with desir- 

 able colours and texture, yet he should have some knowledge of 

 the peculiarities which give a high comparative value to certain 

 varieties of wood. The industries which make the chief demands 

 on the beauty of wood in grain or colour are those of the cabinet- 

 maker, musical instrument maker, parquetry and wood-mosaic 

 maker, carver, turner, &c. 



1. Colour of Wood. 

 Healthy, freshly cut woods possess various colours : — 

 Yellowish white : Box, spruce, birch, silver-fir. 



