THE USES OP WOOD 91 



Larch a favourite wood in ancient Rome. 

 Augustus built his forum with it ; Tiberius 

 brought this timber for the repair of bridges 

 from the forests of Rhaetia and preserved one 

 tree, which was 120 feet long and 2 feet in dia- 

 meter throughout, as a curiosity ; and Vitruvius 

 attributes the decay of the buildings erected in 

 Rome at the time to the disuse of Larch on the 

 exhaustion of the forests near the city." Heart- 

 wood red-brown, sapwood yellowish white. 



Lasrin, Alhizzia odoratissima, also known as 

 Sweet-scented Mimosa, occurs in India, Ceylon 

 and Burma. A coarse-grained, lustrous wood. 

 Strong and durable. Pohshes well. Heartwood 

 banded brown and black, sapwood pinkish. 



Leather Jacket, Eucalyptus paniculata, also 

 known as Hickory, Bastard Box, Grey Gum, 

 Red Gum, Yellow Gum, Turpentine, occurs in 

 New South Wales. A close-grained, heavy, hard 

 wood. Durable and tough. Heartwood red- 

 brown, sapwood yellow. 



Locust, Robinia pseudacacia (Fig. 23), also 

 known as Black Locust, False Acacia, Yellow 

 Locust, Red Locust, occurs in Europe and North 

 America. A coarse, open-grained, lustrous wood. 

 " Almost incorruptible, more durable than Oak." 

 Elastic. Unrivalled for spokes. Heartwood 

 greenish yellow, sapwood greenish white. 



Mahogany, Swamp (Shipbuilding). 



