THE USES OF WOOD 23 



Beech, occurs in. Europe, North America and 

 Asia Minor. A fine, close-grained, light-surfaced 

 timber. Durable under water or underground ; 

 a piece of this wood " became as hard as stone 

 after being buried for twenty-four years . ' ' Liable 

 to warp. Reddish white in colour and, like 

 Alder, a sapwood tree. Yields excellent gun- 

 powder charcoal. 



Birch, Betula alba, also known as Common 

 Birch, European Birch, Silver Birch, Eussian 

 Maple, Russian Birch, occurs in Northern Europe, 

 Asia and North America. A fine, close-grained, 

 lustrous timber. The bark is put to a number 

 of uses, especially in North Eastern Europe. 

 Reddish white in colour and, like Alder and 

 Beech, a sapwood tree. Yields excellent char- 

 coal for artists' use. 



Buckthorn, Alder, Rhamnus frangula, also 

 known as Black Dogwood, Berry-bearing Alder, 

 occurs in Europe, North Africa and Siberia. A 

 shrub which provides excellent charcoal for the 

 manufacture of sporting gunpowder. 



Cashew-nut, Anacardium occidentale, occurs 

 almost universally in the Tropics. A hard, red 

 wood. 



Chestnut, Castanea vulgaris, also known as 

 Spanish Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Edible Chest- 

 nut, American Chestnut, occurs in Europe and 

 North America. A coarse, open-grained, moder- 



