TELEGRAPH POLES, BUILDING TIMBERS, ETC. 81 



Telegraph poles. — For telegraph poles much the same char- 

 acters are requisite as for masts, in addition to durability under- 

 ground. Besides Larch and European Pine and Douglas Eir, the 

 Black or Cypress Pine of New South Wales {OdlUtris robusta), being 

 proof against termites, is in requesl: for this purpose, and, in the 

 United States, Chestnut {Gastdnm vulgaris, var. americdna) is 

 used. 



Building. — Less durabihty is essential in scaffold-poles and 

 ladders, for which Spruce {Picea excelsa) is largely used. Eor 

 joists, rafters, and flooring, no wood is so much used with us as 

 Dantzic Fir (Pinus sylvistris), though the somewhat shaky and 

 cheaper Swedish Fir of the same species is also largely used, whilst 

 that of Norway is imported in the form of ready-made flooring and 

 match-boarding. In the West of England Baltic Pine is largely 

 replaced by American White Pine {Pinus Strobus). The Pitch- 

 Pine of the United States {Pinus faMstris) is now largely employed 

 in match-boarding and other internal work in English buildings, 

 and Larch is much used for flooring, as also are both Baltic and 

 American Black Spruce {Picea excilsa and P. nigra). Since the 

 importation of these coniferous timbers from the Baltic and from 

 America, which dates mainly from the beginning of the eighteenth 

 century, Oak, till then the chief building-timber in North-west 

 Europe, has been but little used, though, of course, old oak beams, 

 floors, and paneUings are stiU abundant. From its not splintering, 

 WiUow is still occasionally used for flooring. In the United States, 

 whilst White Oak {Quercus alba) is very largely employed for the 

 main timbers of houses, the Pines, especially the soft White Pine 

 {Pinus Strobus), the Long-leaf Pine {P. paMstris), the Loblolly Pine 

 (P. tdeda) and the so-called Norway Pine (P. resinosa), with other 

 species in the west, are (under a coriusing jumble of popular names) 

 the timbers most used. In Northern India, the Bhotan Pine {Pinus 

 excelsa) and Himalayan Cypress {Gupressus torulosa) are important 

 coniferous timbers, and there are several valuable species of Oak — 

 viz., Quercus semecarpifoUa, Q. dilatdta, Q. pachyphylla, Q. lamel- 

 losa, Q. fenestrdta, Q. spicdta, and Q. GriffitMi. Among the other 

 hardwoods important in building are Champa {MicMlia Ghdmpaca), 

 Redwood {Adendnthera pavonina), Sal, Ironwood {Mesua ferrm), 

 the Myrobalans, Babela, and Harra {Termindlia belerica and T, CM- 

 bula), Shoondul {Afzelia bijuga), Illupi {Bdssia longifolia), and Iron- 

 wood or Pyengadu {Xylia dolabriformis). In Austraha, the Pepper- 

 mint {Eucalyptus amygdalina) and the White Stringy Bark {E. 

 •capitelld) ; in New Zealand, the Totara {Podocdrpus Totara) and 

 Tanakaha {Phylloclddus trichomanoides) ; the Yellow-wood {Podo- 

 cdrpus elongatus and P. latifolius) in South Africa ; Mora and 



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