62 BULLETIN 909, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the obtaining of new supplies of the wood. On account of the high 

 price of oak and the relative scarcity of mahogany that resulted 

 from restricted imports during the war, walnut has recently dis- 

 placed these woods to a large extent for furniture. 



There are several reasons for the high value placed upon walnut 

 as a cabinet wood. It has good seasoning properties, will hold its 

 shape well, and will not deteriorate after it is properly seasoned; 

 it has an attractive appearance, may be polished to a smooth sur- 

 face, and will take stains and varnishes very well ; it may be cut 

 easily with tools, and is thus adapted to carving and veneer making; 

 it may be glued with very satisfactory results ; it possesses moderate 

 strength and weight. 



To a degree equaled by few other woods walnut possesses all the 

 different qualities that are essential to a first-class cabinet wood. 

 Greater strength would be of advantage, but this would involve 

 greater weight and greater hardness, and the greater hardness would 

 interfere with its being easily worked with tools. 



The principal articles of furniture made of walnut are dining- 

 room and bedroom suites. Dining-room tables of walnut are much 

 in demand, because they are very serviceable and do not show to the 

 extent to which some other woods do the hard usage to which such 

 tables are subjected. Bookcases, desks, living-room tables, and 

 many other pieces are commonly made of walnut. Recently, on 

 account of its serviceability, there has been a considerable demand 

 for office furniture of walnut. 



There are three general classes of furniture — that made along 

 plain lines and of figured wood; that characterized by elaborate 

 design and made almost altogether of plain wood; and cheaper 

 grades of furniture, simple in form and of plain wood. 



The greatest demand now is for walnut furniture of plain lines 

 and finished to show the natural figure of the wood. Much plain 

 walnut furniture is made, but usually some figured wood is employed 

 for the most conspicuous parts. Large-figured effects in walnut are 

 not so popular now as formerly. The highest class of walnut fur- 

 niture generally has stripe and cross figure, and often some crotch 

 and burl-wood pieces. Some large, heav}^ walnut furniture of an- 

 tique design, usually with large carvings, is also made. These pieces 

 are for large rooms of expensively furnished houses, and are gen- 

 erally copied after the early-period designs of walnut furniture. 



Dining-room tables of walnut are manufactured in large numbers. 

 They are generally finished in plain wood, because the only conspicu- 

 ous part is the top, and this is often kept covered. Table tops are 

 generalty made of three or five plies, with a core of solid wood and 

 one or two sheets of veneer on either side of the core. Occasionally 

 table tops are made with the upper ply of sawed veneer one-sixteenth 



