CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 211 



of great value as a veneer. In New York a table has been made of such 

 a piece which is as remarkable as it is unique, and is the admiration of 

 all who see it. This particular piece surpasses in its beauty any similar 

 wood ; the nearest resemblance would be found in a selection of very 

 highly striped ebony or Coromandel wood. 



A fine whitish ring which may mark the concentric growth is clearly 

 visible. The pores are somewhat irregular in size, not large, but very 

 uniform in position. The rays are very fine and distinct, parallel, regular, 

 and almost equidistant. 



A similar persimmon-wood of equally good quaUty is obtainable in 

 Japan, but it is not imported commercially into this country. 



Pimento. Pimenta officinalis, Linn. Weight, 68 lbs. The West Indies. 



The timber is of a dark to light salmon colour, with a very firm, hard, 

 close texture and a smooth surface. It is inclined to warp unless used in 

 very narrow widths. It is principally employed for the making of walking- 

 sticks. 



The pores are exceedingly small and numerous. The medullary 

 rays are very fine, and are indeed hardly discernible with the aid of 

 a lens (12 x). 



Pine and Fie. Sources various. 



The softwoods of commerce consist chiefly of the following : 



Pinus sylvestris .... Redwood or red Baltic pine. 



Picea excelsa .... White wood or spruce. 



Larix europoea . . . Larch. 



Pinus Strobus .... Yellow pine. 



Pinus resinosa .... Red pine. 



Pinus rigida or P. palustris . . Pitch pine. 



Pseudotsuga Douglasii . . . Douglas fir or Oregon pine. 



A hies pectinaia .... Silver spruce or silver fir. 



The subject is one which is somewhat difficult of comprehension, both 

 on account of the many different sources and consequent variety of the 

 wood itself, and also of the perplexing nomenclature. Names which 

 are in common use in England differ from those on the Continent, and 

 even within the confines of this country vary according to locality ; 

 different names are applied to the same wood ; names change with the 

 lapse of time ; and finally, names which are botanically quite incorrect 

 are very generally employed, so that these jarring elements result in 

 continual confusion and dispute. 



To simplify these matters to some extent, reference will be made to 



