CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 303 



wood in these countries have been generally very astute, and it has been 

 exceedingly difficult, unless the trade has been carried on by EngUshmen, 

 to discover the real source of the supply, and as a result many disputes 

 and difficulties have occurred which resulted, in one case at least, in 

 a law-suit. Every year the supphes become scantier, while the quality 

 deteriorates, so that the walnut of the better class will soon become 

 unobtainable, unless some new source of supply be found. As is the case 

 with most other valuable figured woods, by far the greater part of the 

 best walnut has found its way to the United States, where it is much 

 appreciated for decorative panelling or " trim " and for furniture and 

 pianos. The practice there is to select the better figured logs, which are 

 sawn into flitches, or large-sized planks, and placed in a steaming chamber, 

 and when thoroughly steamed, fixed on to a knife veneer-cutting machine. 

 They are then either cut straight through or on the half round on a rotary 

 cutter, the last-named producing wider veneers. The remainder of the 

 logs are sawn into boards and so forth (which in America are called 

 lumber), and used for more ordinary " trim " or cabinet work. 



Without the examination of a great many samples of each kind it' is 

 impossible to distinguish any structural features characteristic of the 

 woods of different countries, for in one and the same country the wood 

 varies considerably both in this respect and also in weight. 



In general, in transverse section the annual rings are rendered visible 

 by the sparcity and slightly smdler size of the vessels (pores) in the outer 

 part of each ring ; in the spring-wood the pores are large and scattered 

 and do not produce a sharply-defined pore zone. With the aid of a 

 pocket lens (12 x ) the fine medullary rays are rendered visible, as are 

 fine, concentric Ught lines (of soft tissue) joining them at right angles. 



French Walnut. — This wood is for the most part Ught-coloured and 

 straight-grained ; the relatively small amount of finely-figured French 

 wood available is practically all absorbed by Paris and Marseilles for 

 veneers. In recent times a great amount of decorative architectural 

 work has been executed in plain French walnut, the quiet grey colour and 

 straight grain of which produces a dignified and restrained artistic effect 

 and particularly suits the modem styles of cabinet work. 



Italian Walnut. — While this is most generally named in architects' 

 and other specifications, it is actually very rarely obtained. Formerly it 

 included a large proportion of dark-grained and iigury wood, but of late 

 years supplies of all kinds have been greatly reduced, and the quality 

 in all respects has much deteriorated. 



Spanish Walnut. — A regular but not large quantity of wood has 

 been imported from Spain. The general quality and conditions are the 

 same as the French, from which it is difficult to distinguish it, except 



