TRUE ^^■()ODS 



257 



leads to its use for piling, wet cooperage, and railway ties. 

 The great beauty of the wood, especially on radial section 

 as shown in "quarter-sawing," and its susceptibility of fine 

 ])olish coinbined with its other valuable qualities make oak 



iI'M'l 



i:miH\i\m(Miipt 



Fig. 2.39. — Transverse section of plum 

 woorl. -1. (FTartisr.) 



Fig. 240. — Transverse section of birch 

 wood, i. (Hartig.) 



Fii:. 242.— Red Oak (Quercus 

 rubra. Beech Family, 

 Faqacew). Flowering and 

 fruiting branch. J. At the 

 base of tlie leaf is a pis- 

 tillate flower. (Britton 

 and Brown.) — Tree grow- 

 ing 40 m. tall; bark dark 

 gray; leaves dull green; 

 flowers greenish yellow; 

 fruit reddish, requiring 

 two years to ripen. Na- 

 t i V e home. Eastern 

 Xorth America. 



Fig. 241. — Transverse section of beech 

 wood, f. (Hartig.) 



one of the most highly valued woods for furniture and in- 

 terior finish, and even for turnery and carving in spite of 

 its coarse texture. Manj- species afford timber. 



Chestnut (Figs. 24-26) though of less value than oak where 

 much strength is recjuircd and of inferior beauty, is, on ac- 



