174 WOODS OF COMMERCE 



Fig, the general name for the genus Mcus, few species of which 

 yield timber of any value. That of Ficus indica L. (Order Arto- 

 carpdcece) is used in Ceylon for common furniture ; but it, and that 

 of other species, being soft and spongy, is readily charged with oil 

 and emery for knifeboards or pohshing purposes. 



Fig, Blue. See Caloon. 



Fig, Leichhardt's Clustered {Ficus glomerdta Willd.). India, 

 Burma, Northern Australia. Ahorig. "Parpa." Hind, ''Kith 

 Giilar." Height 40-~-60 ft. ; diam. 1—3 ft. W 25—36. Greyish 

 or straw-colour, coarse but straight-grained, Hght, soft, porous, 

 moderately strong, not durable, except under water. Used for 

 well-frames in India, and for furniture in Ceylon, and suggested 

 for packing-cases. 



Fig, Illawarra, Port Jackson or Rusty {F. rubiginosa Desf.), 

 Aborig, " Dthaaman." Eastern Austraha. Height 60—80 ft. ; 

 diam. 4 — 5 ft. W 28*5. Light, soft, brittle, spongy. Sometimes 

 used for packing-cases. 



Fig, Large-leaved or Moreton Bay {F. macrophylla Bed.). North- 

 Eastern Australia. Height 50—100 ft. ; diam. 3—6 ft. W 34. 

 Pale-brown, with a beautiful wavy figure on a darker brown, but 

 difficult to season, soft and not durable, so only occasionally used 

 for packing-cases. 



Fig, Prickly. See Ash, Blueberry. 



Fir, a name very loosely used both in commerce and in botany^ 

 mostly for coniferous trees.^ Thus Dantzic, Eliasberg, Memel, 

 Norway, Eed, Eiga, Saldowitz, Scots, Stettin, Swedish and Yellow 

 Fir are all Pinus sylvistris [See Pine, Northern], named mainly 

 from the port of shipment, Douglas or Oregon Eir is Pseudotsuga 

 Dougldsii [See Pine, Oregon], and White Fir (" Baltic White ") 

 is Picea excelsa [See Spruce, Norway]. The name is preferably 

 restricted to the ejenus Abies, conifers distinguished by their flat 

 leaves with Wo lateral resin-canals, and by their erect cones which 

 fall to pieces when the seed is ripe. Their wood is generally without 

 resin-ducts, coarse-grained, soft, and perishable. 



Fir, Balsam or American Silver [Abies balsdmea Miller). Wet 

 ground in Eastern North America. Known also as " Balm-of- 

 Gilead Fir.'* French '' Sapin baumier." Oerm. " Balsam-Tanne." 

 Height 30—60 or 80 ft. ; diam. 2 ft. S.G. 382. W 23-8. R 515 

 kilos. Yellowish, very hght, soft, coarse-grained, not strong or 

 durable. Sometimes used for staves for fish-barrels. The most 

 valuable product of this species is Canada balsam, a resin collected 

 in Quebec. The names " Balsam Fir " and " Black Balsam " are 

 sometimes applied to A, concolor [See Fir, White]. 



^ Among Anglo-Indians species of Casuccrina are known as "Fir." See Oak, 

 Swamp.] 



