CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 221 



surface results. For decorative work, where variety of figure is desired, 

 the latter type of sawing should, however, be followed. 



Among many other uses the timber has been employed extensively 

 in various countries in the making of masts and spars. In England, 

 pitch pine or Baltic pine is preferred, but the latter cannot compete with 

 Douglas fir in dimensions, while the former is sometimes too heavy. 



Douglas fir is also used in the manufacture of railway sleepers and 

 paving-blocks. The sawn wood opposes very considerable resistance to 

 the penetration of creosote, and therefore requires high pressures to inject 

 quantities sufficient to satisfy engineers accustomed to deal with Baltic 

 pine. 



Baterden, in Timber (p. 80), points out that Oregon pine, although 

 " apparently more open in the grain . . . will nevertheless take in much 

 less creosote than either pitch pine or Baltic timber, and that is rather 

 against its use for sea work. On one occasion some Oregon logs were 

 tanked with Baltic redwood logs ; the latter took in nearly 11 lbs. of 

 creosote per cubic foot, whilst the maximum for the Oregon was only 

 2f lbs., and the same thing applies to thin planks. On several occasions 

 the author has made careful comparisons in creosoting this timber, and 

 he has got 7 to 9 lbs. of creosote per cubic foot into pitch pine which has 

 been air-drying for about three months, whilst Oregon logs dried under the 

 same conditions and for the same period, and subjected to the same 

 pressure in the cylinders along with the pitch pine, rarely took in more 

 than 3 lbs. and many of them not 3 lbs. per cubic foot, and retanking 

 and repressing made no appreciable difference in the quantity injected." 



Douglas fir grows rapidly and well in suitable sites in England ; 

 magnificent specimens are to be seen, for instance, in Dropmore Gardens. 

 Professor Groom says that though its young twigs are Uable to attack 

 by a special kind of fungal mildew, the species at present suffers from 

 no serious attacks by either fungus or insect. In view, however, of the 

 variabiHty of the timber, even in its American home, far-reaching assump- 

 tions as to the quaUty of British-grown timber would be premature. 



The annual rings are well marked, the medullary rays invisible, but 

 the resin ducts are recognisable. 



Pine, Pitch. Pi/ius palustris. Mill., and other spp. of Pinus. Weight, 

 average 45-8 lbs. (Baterden). United States of America. 



The timber known as pitch pine has been exported from the Southern 

 States of America for the last fifty years and has consisted of the mixed 

 produce of several botanical species of pine. The best of these is 

 produced by P. palustris. What proportion of other sorts is included 

 has varied according to the convenience and circumstances of the shipper. 

 Gibson, in American Forest Trees (p. 43), says : " There is no precise agree- 



