CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 31 



than the wood itself ; amongst the northern nations it is used for tiles of 

 roofs, for shoes, hats, etc. The Russians employ the tan of one of the 

 birch trees to impart the scent to Russia leather, which is thereby rendered 

 remarkably durable. The inner bark is used for making the Russia mats. ' ' 



During the European war, as the shipments of foreign supplies largely 

 ceased, a considerable quantity of British birch was used, especially in the 

 brush trade. On the whole it was found to be quite useful, although it 

 was reported as being not quite so good as the Norwegian wood. 



The pores are exceedingly small, somewhat plugged. The medullary 

 rays are fine, close, and parallel ; the wood shows dense, close, compact 

 growth. 



With the American wood the pores are larger and more open. The 

 medullary rays are well defined, parallel, and joined at irregular intervals 

 at right angles by deeper-lined veins. 



The pores and rays of the Canadian wood are similar in all respects to 

 the American, but the general character of the growth is more dense and 

 compact. 



BiKCH, Japanese. Betula Maximowiczei, B. ulmifolia, B. alba, Linn., 

 var. vulgaris, DC. Weight, 48 lbs. 



During the last few years some considerable quantity of hewn square 

 logs from about 8 to 20 feet long and 12 to 36 inches broad have been 

 imported from Japan. It is there termed Shira-kamba (Betula alba). 

 The logs are clean and very sound, with straight hearts, and are of better 

 quaUty than any of the Canadian or American wood. The colour is a 

 bright yellowish-red, and the wood is slightly harder, tougher, and more 

 closely grained than is the Canadian. I consider it superior to all the 

 other kinds in commercial use for all purposes for which birch is used, 

 but it is doubtful if it can be brought here at such a price that it will 

 compete with the Canadian. Recently some well-made three-ply veneer 

 faced with Japanese birch has been imported, and should prove useful 

 for many purposes. 



The pores are smaller than in the Canadian wood, and are almost 

 entirely plugged. The medullary rays are fine but distinct, and are 

 joined at right angles by a thin vein which occurs at close intervals. 



BiscHOFiA. Bischofia javanica, Blume. Weight, 45 lbs. (Gamble). 

 Formosa, India, Burma. 



This wood is of a dull reddish-brown colour, of close, firm texture, 

 while in appearance it closely resembles American black walnut, though 

 slightly redder. Much of it displays wavy grain. It stands well, but is 

 apt to be riddled with small holes due to the attacks of a kind of boring 

 beetle. The wood has not yet been commercially imported into England. 



