ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. vi. 3-vii. i 



are altogether dry : for the latter give/ while the 

 former resist. Wood which is too green closes up 

 again when sawn, and the sawdust catches in the 

 saw's teeth and clogs - them ; wherefore the teeth 

 of the saw are set alternate ways, to get rid of the 

 sawdust. Wood which is too green is also harder to 

 bore holes in ; for the auger's dust is only brought 

 up slowly, because it is heavy ; while, if the wood is 

 drv, the air gets warmed by the boring and brings 

 it up readily and at once. On the other hand, wood 

 which is over drv ^ is hard to saw because of its 

 hardness : for it is like sawing through earthenware ; 

 wherefore they wet the auger when using it. 



However green wood is easier to work with the 

 axe the chisel or the plane ; for the chisel gets a 

 better hold and does not slip oft". Again softer 

 woods are easier for the axe and for smoothing,* and 

 also a better polished surface is obtained. The 

 cornelian cherry is also a very strong wood, and 

 among the rest elm-wood is the strongest ; where- 

 fore, as was said,^ they make the ' hinges ' for doors 

 of elm-wood. Manna-ash and beech have very moist 

 wood, for of these they make elastic bedsteads. 



Of the woods used in ship-building. 



VII. Next we must endeavour to say in a general 

 way, distinguishing the several uses, for which 

 purposes each kind of timber is serviceable, which 

 is of use for ship-building, which for house-building : 

 for these uses extend far and are important. 



Now silver-fir, fir and Syrian cedar ** are, generally 



' TO Xicw |7jpo conj. St. ; Aeta Kcd {Tjpo Ald.H. 



* Sc. with the carpenter's axe. 



* 5. 3. 5. 6 See Index. 



455 



