XXVII.] DANTZIC FIR. 317 



There are no reliable or recognised official brands by 

 which the several qualities of Dantzic Fir timber may- 

 be known, there being no sworn Bracker to make the 

 sorting ; consequently, as each merchant acts for him- 

 self, he can give to it any particular distinguishing mark 

 he pleases, and of course this will be only known in 

 his own private circle, or, at most, to the trade of the 

 district. The result is, there are often as many marks 

 for each quality as there are merchants dealing in the 

 article, thus making it necessary to see the several kinds 

 in order to determine which would be most suitable for 

 the work to be done. The practice is not a very satis- 

 factory one, since it is not an uncommon thing to find 

 the best middling timber of one merchant 3 to 4 or 5 

 per cent, better in quality than that of another, and the 

 same with regard to each of the other classes brought 

 into the market. 



Dantzic Fir is employed more extensively in civil 

 architecture than, perhaps, any other description of 

 wood for joists, rafters, trusses, floors, scaffolding, &c. ; 

 it also enters largely into the construction of bridges 

 and railway works ; indeed, it is not too much to say 

 that few works in this country are ever carried on 

 without its capabilities being in some way turned to 

 account. In ship-building it is employed for beams to 

 carry the upper and lighter decks, occasionally for 

 bottom plankings, and also for various fitments in cabins 

 and store-rooms ; and its special fitness for deck pur- 

 poses has been already mentioned. Further, the cheap, 

 common, middling quality is in request for props, or 

 shores, required for supporting a vessel while in course 

 of construction, or while in dock undergoing repairs, for 

 which, and similar purposes, its coarse character is not 

 an objection. 



