ON TIMBER TREES 



If study were made of individual conifers in 

 any forest region where different species are 

 found, it would doubtless be possible to secure by 

 mere selection new races that would admirably 

 serve the purposes of the forester. 



But of course still better results may be ex- 

 pected when hand-pollenizing is carried out intel- 

 ligently, and the racial strains of different species 

 of conifers are blended and tested to find just 

 what are the best combinations. 



It would be nothing strange if among the 

 hybrids there should be found one or more varie- 

 ties that will attempt to rival the Sequoia itself in 

 giantism, and that will quite outrival it in rapidity 

 of growth. 



What the pines are as producers of white and 

 relatively soft wood of straight grain and uniform 

 texture, the members of the great family of oaks 

 are as producers of wood of hard texture, irregu- 

 larly grained and knotted, but capable to taking 

 on a polish and serving almost every essential 

 purpose of the cabinet maker. 



The most famous of oaks, doubtless is the 

 typical British species, but the American white oak 

 is a close second. Perhaps these two might be 

 hybridized. If the hybrid thus produced were by 

 any chance to show the capacity for rapid growth 

 that the hybrid walnuts have shown, while retain- 



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