XXVIII.] 
DANTZIC FIR , ETC. 
243 
of Eliasberg and Saldowitz, from the districts in Russia 
whence it is drawn. 
It is a very clean, sound, straight, and well-squared 
wood, of great average length, and more closely 
resembles the Riga Fir than any other in colour, tex¬ 
ture, general appearance, and even in its defects, the 
heart and star-shakes being common to it. This wood 
cannot, therefore, be safely reduced to thin planks near 
the centre of the log without incurring the risk of some 
faulty pieces being produced at that part. 
The classification for the market is similar to that of 
the Dantzic Fir, but there is very little of the common 
middling quality in it. When made up for sale it is 
generally arranged in parcels according to the size of 
the logs, those of 13 to 16 inches being kept distinct 
from those over 16 to 20 inches square, the latter being 
about the maximum size obtainable from the tree, while 
the lengths vary from 20 to 76 feet, and include many 
pieces of mast dimensions. 
The employment of this description of Fir for mast 
purposes does not, however, appear to be contemplated 
by the shippers, and it is not, in my opinion, suitable for 
it, owing to its free character and liability to split in 
seasoning. The clean, straight, and even grain is, never¬ 
theless, quite sufficient to recommend it to notice for 
furniture purposes, and its superior dimensions will 
always entitle it to preference over Dantzic or Riga Fir 
for works requiring long timber. 
The prices of “Eliasberg” and “Saldowitz” Fir 
timber in general rule somewhat higher than that of 
the best Dantzic Fir. 
There is also an inferior species of Fir brought in 
small quantities from Dantzic, and put upon the market 
under the name of Whitewood. It is white in colour 
