CANADIAN TIMBER TREES. 39 
alluvial river banks westwards, and is a very large and well known tree, 
with a white bark, separating easily into thin brittle plates. It yields a very 
clean wood, somewhat softer than beech, but rather disposed to brittleness. 
The colour of young sycamore is silky white, and of the old, brownish white ; 
the wood of middle age is intermediate in color and the strongest. Some of 
the pieces are very handsomely mottled, Used in furniture, chiefly for bed- 
steads, and for piano-fortes and harps; cuts into very good screws, and is used 
for presses, dairy utensils, windlasses, wheels and blocks. 
The plane-tree is by far the largest, (though not the loftiest) tree of the 
American forests. Trunks ave sometimes found in the Western States measuring 
40 to 50 feet in circumference. 
Specific gravity 0.5; weight of cubie foot 28 lbs. 
Value for heating purposes 52. 
82. Tamarack. Larix americana. 
Nat. Ord. Conifer. 
A slender tree, with heavy, close grained wood and slender horizontal branches ; 
height usually from 20 to 50 feet. Occurs in low wet lands, forming “ tamarack 
swamps.” The timber has not until of late years been much esteemed, but next 
to cedar seems best adapted for underground works. It combines lightness. 
strength, and durability to a remarkable degree. Called also Hackmatack and red 
spruce. This timber has recently come into great demand in England for many 
purposes in ship building, combining as it does the most valuable qualities of 
many others. The best oak is superior to it only for the outside work of a ship 
where it is exposed to violent shocks or friction. For knees, bends, garlands, &e. 
of a ship it cannot be surpassed. 
Specific gravity 0.6; weight of cubic foot 35 lbs. 
33. Brack Watnutr. Juglans nigra. 
Nat. Ord. Juglandacee. 
A large and handsome tree with brown bark, and valuable purplish-brown 
wood, turning blackish with age. Occurs in rich woods; flowers in May, fruit 
ripe in October. The timber is fine grained, beautifully veined, and perhaps 
the most valuable for furniture of any of the North American woods. The wood 
of another species, J. regia, which, however, does not oceur in America, is that of 
which gun stocks are mostly made, The Juglans nigra is a common tree in the 
middle and western States of the Union, but is rather rare in Canada, being 
confined to the western districts. It rises 60 to 70 feet high, with a diameter of 
3 or 4 feet. This wood is very durable and not affected by worms, and is strong, 
tough, and not liable to split. It is much used for furniture in the form of veneers. 
Specific gravity 0.5; weight of cubic foot 30 lbs. 
Value for heating purposes 65. 
34, Wmte Writow. Salix alba, 
Nat. Ord. Salicacee. 
A familiar tree, of rapid growth, attaining a height of 50 to 80 feet ; originally 
from Europe. The timber is, perhaps, the softest and lightest of all woods, for 
which qualities it is most valuable for some purposes. The color is tolerably 
white, inclining to yellowish grey. It is planed into chips for hat boxes, baskets, 
