CHAPTER V. 

 THE USES OF WOODS. 



So multifarious are the uses to which wood is applied that it is 

 well nigh hopeless to attempt to classify or enumerate them. 

 Still less is it possible here to mention all the different kinds 

 of wood locally employed for each purpose, or to describe the 

 methods in which they are treated. We must be content with a 

 rough catalogue mainly confined to species widely used or known 

 in general commerce, with occasional mention of less known 

 kinds of timber for which we believe there may be a demand in 

 the near future. 



The term "timber," from the Old English "timbrian," to 

 build, is strictly applicable only to felled and seasoned wood fit 

 for building, as distinguished from " fancy " or furniture-woods, 

 dye-woods, etc. Undressed trunks without branches are termed 

 " round timber "; or, if of young trees, "spars"; hewn logs are 

 called "square timber"; or when quartered, "billets"; when 

 split, "staves" or "lathwood"; or when sawn, "deals," 

 "battens," "planks," "boards," and "scantling." 



Some very strong timbers, such as Teak, Sal, and Padouk, are 

 specially designated as " Ordnance woods." 



Shipbuilding. There is, perhaps, no purpose for which 

 timber has been, and requires to be, more carefully tested and 

 selected than for shipbuilding. From this point of view we have 

 a full account of most timbers so employed in the late Mr. Thomas 



