EUROPEAN WOODS. 327 



which are imported from foreign countries, and of which 

 the name of the producing tree is known. 



European Woods. 



Dantzic Deal, Spruce Fir, and Spruce. — The wood of 

 Abies excelsa (Nat. Ord. Conifera). 



Dantzic Fir, Riga Fir, and Prussian Deal. — The 

 wood of Finns sylvestris. 



These Coniferous plants furnish very much of the com- 

 mon timber used in the construction of houses, and the 

 interior portions and decks of vessels ; also in the inferior 

 articles of household furniture. The imports are enormous, 

 employing annually more than a hundred large vessels. 



Norway Birch. Betula alba. (Nat. Ord. Betulacece.) 

 — This is an inferior timber, used in common articles of 

 furniture and in ship-building. 



Oak. — Of this valuable timber several different species 

 are imported, and used chiefly for ship-building. They are 

 Baltic Oak, Quercus pedunculata (Nat. Ord. Corylacea) ; 

 East Country Oak, Q. pedunculata ; Adriatic Oak, Q. Cerris; 

 besides one or two doubtful ones. 



Box-wood. Buxus Balearica. (Nat. Ord. Euphorbia- 

 cece.) — Large quantities of this wood, amounting to 3000 



