76 
Ohio Biological Survey 
color. Rosewood, mahogany, and ebony are good examples. Some 
of our native Ohio woods are well colored. The holly, basswood, 
and buckeye are light colored, but the wild cherry, black walnut, and 
persimmon are dark. Most woods when exposed to light and air 
change their color in course of time. Mahogany may change from 
brown to black; ash, from brownish white to light violet; alder, from 
a yellowish white to a reddish brown; and yellow poplar, from a light 
to a dark brown. Heartwood is nearly always darker than sapwood 
and, in some cases, the dif¥erence is very marked. 
Fig. 2. A corner in the Forestry Museum of the Ohio State University. 
Luster or Gloss. —Some woods are glossy or lustrous. Maple 
and ash when well planed have a shining appearance. This is like^ 
wise seen in some of the oaks, especially when they are quarter- 
sawed. Pine woods can be easily smoothed, but, as a rule, they are 
not glossy or shining. The luster or shining quality of wood is due 
to the way light is reflected from the fibers that compose it. 
Texture.— There is a difference between the texture and the 
grain of wood although these qualities are often confused in the public 
mind. The texture of wood depends upon the character of the tissues 
