CHAP. XXXIII.] 
RED PINE. 
271 
of commerce in logs of from 10 to 18 inches square, and 
from 16 to 50 feet in length. The tree is of erect growth, 
with a tendency to slight curvature at the butt or root 
end of the stem, and, like most other Pines and Firs, has 
numerous though not usually heavy branches. 
The wood is white, tinged with yellow or straw 
colour ; it is tough, elastic, moderately strong, and pos¬ 
sesses a clean fine grain, which works up well, leaving 
upon the surface a smooth silky lustre. It is not apt to 
shrink, split, or warp much in seasoning, and, technically 
speaking, it stands well, which renders it a choice and 
very valuable wood for all kinds of construction, while 
in the domestic arts there need not be any limit to its 
application. 
The Red Pine is very solid about the pith or centre 
of the log, and has but little alburnum or sap-wood. 
There is, therefore, only a small amount of loss in its 
conversion, even if reduced to planks and boards ; while 
it can further be worked with great advantage in ship¬ 
building, for deck purposes, for cabin, and for other 
fitments. 
With every season’s fall of this timber there are a 
few rough spars selected for hand-masts, holding about 
the same dimensions as those obtained from Riga. 
These spars, however, are very few in proportion to the 
number of trees felled, owing to the fact before men¬ 
tioned, that the trees are not generally quite straight, 
although fairly grown. On this account the selected 
spars nearly all require to be dressed to a straight form, 
and simply taking off the knotty tops of the trees and 
removing the bark is not sufficient to constitute the 
hand-mast of this species of Pine. 
The surveyor and mast-maker will, therefore, find it 
necessary to examine these spars very carefully to ascer- 
