HARDNESS AND COLOURS OF WOODS. 43 



ofDiospf/ros known as Ebonies, and of Laburnum (Cytisus Laburnum), 

 the dark brown of the Walnuts, the purplish-red of Logwood 

 (Hcematdxylon campechidnum), the lemon-yellow sapwood and 

 bluish red heartwood of the Barberry (Bdrberis vulgaris), the 

 narrow yellow alburnum and greenish duramen in Lignum vitae 

 (Gudiacum qfficindle), or the mottling of dark and light browns in 

 the Olive (Olea europwa), are obvious distinctions. 



The Northern Pine (Pinus sylvtstris) presents numerous varia- 

 tions in the colour of its wood, as well as in its mode of branching, 

 dependent probably in part upon the conditions under which it is 

 grown, and the superiority of " red deal " to the more resinous 

 honey-yellow varieties is well-known in trade. Northern hill- 

 grown wood is commonly redder than that of the south grown in 

 plains, the finest being that of the Eiga pines, with a close 

 pyramid of ascending branches, including the timber from 

 Smolensk, Vitebsk, Tchernigov, and Volhynia. 



The Locust or False Acacia of the United States (Robmia 

 Pseudacdcia) includes at least four varieties of wood. The most 

 durable, most beautiful, and most valuable is the red : the 

 commonest the green, a greenish-yellow wood (apparently the 

 only kind imported), is next in value ; the black is only recorded 

 in the Western States ; and the white is the least valuable. 



In West Virginia three varieties of the Tulip-tree (Liriodendron 

 tulipffera) are distinguished as "White," "Blue," or "Yellow 

 Poplar," of which only the last named is commonly -shipped to 

 this country. Grown only for ornament in Europe, in America 

 this tree is largely used for rafters, wainscots, roof-shingles, 

 boxes, furniture, and turnery, and increasing quantities now 

 arrive at Liverpool from New York under the names of American 

 or Yellow Poplar, American White wood or Canary White wood. 

 These names and that of "Tulip-wood" are nearly all objectionable, 

 as previously applied to very different woods, or as suggesting a 

 connection between the tree, a member of the Magnolia family, 

 and the Poplars. The yellow variety of its wood comes from 

 moist low-lying ground, and is valued for staining or polishing, by 

 cabinet-makers, shop fitters, and coach-builders. 



