82 



WOODPECKEES IN RELATION TO TREES. 





Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanihos) . — Brown stains penetrating 

 the injured wood layer are developed at the healed wounds, and they 

 are often continuous around the annual 

 ring. In such a case the layer consti- 

 tutes a potential line of fracture. Many 

 stains are accompanied by open fissures 

 extending outward. These defects are 

 occasionally enlarged by much subsequent 

 pecking until large, ramifying, open, 

 black-stained cavities result. The exte- 

 rior of the tree is disfigured by large 

 swollen girdles, and the wood in the 

 girdles is gnarled and so full of checks 

 and stains (figs. 32 and 33) that it is 

 useless, except for fuel. 



the rue family (rutace^:). 



But one species of this family is known 

 to be injured by sapsuckers, but it is the 

 valuable satinwood(Xant1boxylumjlavum) } 

 which is largely used for furniture and tool 

 handles. Objectionable long dark stains 

 arc produced. 



THE MAHOGANY FAMILY (MELIACE^). 



The single native species of this family, 

 mahogany, a cabinet wood of the highest 



value, is seriously blemished by sap- 

 suckers. 



Mahogany (Swietenia maliagani) . — The 

 wood is heavily stained around the origi- 

 nal wounds and a lighter stain extends to 

 a conaiderable depth and far along the 

 grain. Cavities partly filled with brittle 

 black material are formed, and gnarly 

 growth characterizes the wood in the 

 immediate vicinity of the wounds. Curly 

 wood and a large bird's-eye are present in 

 many annual rings succeeding the injury. 

 Both defects and ornaments are produced 

 in this wood, but to get the benefit of the 

 latter the logs must be sawn with refer- 

 ence to the sapsucker work. As this is not practicable commer- 

 cially, the blemishes probably overbalance the embellishments. 



Fro. 32— Effects of sapsucker work 

 on wood of honey locust i Gleditsia 

 triacanthos). Longitudinal section. 

 Checks, stains, and gnarly grain. 



