CLASSIFICATION OF CONIFEROUS WOODS. 49 



they are so scattered that we may call it "diffuse-porous." 

 The grouping of the pores, the prominence of the pith-rays, 

 the weight, hardness and colour here again furnish subsidiary 

 characters. 



I. CONIFEROUS OR NON-POROUS WOODS. 



No visible or conspicuous pores on a transverse section, even 

 when magnified, the wood containing no tracheae or true vessels, 

 except immediately round the pith. Resin-canals often present 

 in the autumn wood. Annual rings generally sharply marked 

 by denser, dark-coloured autumn bands. Pith-rays very fine 

 and numerous, invisible to the naked eye. 



A. Without conspicuous resin-canals. 



1. No distinct heartwood : rings well rounded. 



a. Yellowish-white, soft : no tracheids in the pith-rays. 



Abies. The True or Silver Firs, e.g. A. pedindta of 

 Central Europe, A. Webbidna of the Himalayas, A. 

 balsdmea, the Balsam Fir of the North-Eastern United 

 States, and A. grdndis, A. concolor, A. amdbilis, A. 

 ndbilis, and A. magnified of the Western States. 



b. Reddish, soft, brittle : pith-rays with tracheids. Tsuga. 



The Hemlock Spruces, including T. canadensis of North- 

 east, and T. Mertensidna of North-west America. 



2. Heart- wood present and contrasting in colour. 



a. Heavy, hard, non-resinous, dull. Heart-wood brownish 



or orange-red : sapwood lemon-colour. Rings excentric, 

 wavy and sinuous. Taxus. The Yews, including T. 

 bdccata of Europe and Northern Asia, and T. breviftlia 

 of North-west America. 



b. Light, soft medium hard, usually aromatic. Heartwood 



rose, yellowish or brownish red : sapwood yellowish 

 white. Rings wavy and sinuous. Pith-rays very fine. 

 The "Red Cedars," Juniperm. 

 Heartwood rose to brown red. /. virginidna. 

 D 



