BOOK X\'I. Lxxxiii. 226-la:xxiv. 229 



LXXXIII. Gluoiiig also is inipi»rtanl for veneering Vnieer,at,d 

 articles with thin sections of wood or otherwise. i^^lj^"*^* "^ 

 For use as veneer a thready veining is approved 

 of (it is called fennel-pattern grain on account of 

 the resemblance), because in every kind of wood 

 pieces with gaps and twists in them do not take the 

 glue ; some woods cannot be joined by glueing 

 either with wood of the same kind or with other woods, 

 for example hard oak, and in general materials 

 unhke in substance do not liold together, for instance 

 if one tried to join stone and wood. The wood of the 

 service-tree, the hornbeam and the box have a very 

 strong dishke for cornel wood, and so to a smaller 

 degree has lime. All of the woods we have de- 

 scribed as yielding are easily bent for all pui-poses, 

 and so besides are mulberry and wild fig ; while those 

 which are moderately moist are suitable for boring 

 and sawing, since dry woods give way beyond the 

 part which you bore or saw, whereas green woods 

 except hard oak and box offer a more obstinate re- 

 sistance, and fiU up the teeth of saws in an ineffective 

 even Hne ; this is the reason why the teeth are bent 

 each way in turn, so as to get rid of the sawdust. 



LXXXIV. Ash is the most compliant wood in work Different 

 of any kind, and is better than hazel for spears, lighter 'il^^^^their 

 than cornel, and more phable than service-tree ; uses. 

 indeed the GalUc ash even has the suppleness 

 and Ught weight required for chariots. The elm 

 would rival it were not its weight against it. Beech 

 also is easily worked, although brittle and soft ; 

 also cut in thin layers of veneer it is flexible, and is 

 the only wood suitable for boxes and desks. The 

 holm-oak as weU cuts into extremely thin layers, 

 and also has a not unattractive colour, but it is most 



535 



