CLASSIFICATION OF TIMBERS 169 



Turning now to the classification of timbers. In 

 commerce timbers are classified into two chief groups : 

 softwoods and hardwoods — a purely arbitrary classi- 

 fication. The former are practically all conifers, pines 

 (red and yellow deal), spruces, and firs (white deal), 

 and the larches. The timber of these species is com- 

 paratively light, strong, and easy to work, and is 

 extensively used by all trades, and generally for building 

 purposes. Coniferous timber is imported as logs, 

 deals (thick planks), and boards. It is logged and 

 sawn up from selected well-grown clean stems, free as 

 possible from knots. Pit-props are cut from thinnings 

 in 'middle-aged woods, from the tops of older trees 

 which have been logged, and from stunted growth 

 which will yield material of the requisite size. Wood 

 pulp is preferably made from trees of 4-inch to 8-inch 

 diameter, and is largely used, of course, for the 

 manufacture of the cheaper classes of paper. With 

 the exception of oak and a few other species, the 

 imported hardwoods do not grow in these islands. 

 Even in the case of oak the foreign timber of this 

 species is preferred to the indigenous, as it is less 

 hard and easier to work. The foreign imported 

 hardwoods are used for veneering, panelling, flooring, 

 furniture, and wood turnery, etc. They are usually 

 heavy woods and difficult to work, and consequently 

 more costly. 



The imports of wood and timber received into this 

 country may be divided according to the Board of 

 Trade Returns into six divisions as follows, taking 

 hewn (i.e. logs) and sawn, planed, and dressed coni- 

 ferous material as one division : 



