Seasoning of Wood Part 8

PERSIMMON

=91. Persimmon= (_Diospyros Virginiana_). Small to medium-sized tree.

Wood very heavy, and hard, strong and tough; resembles hickory, but is of finer texture and elastic, but liable to split in working. The broad sapwood cream color, the heartwood brown, sometimes almost black. The persimmon is the Virginia date plum, a tree of 30 to 50 feet high, and 18 to 20 inches in diameter; it is noted chiefly for its fruit, but it produces a wood of considerable value. Used in turnery, for wood engraving, shuttles, bobbins, plane stock, shoe lasts, and largely as a subst.i.tute for box (_Buxus sempervirens_)--especially the black or Mexican variety,--also used for pocket rules and drawing scales, for flutes and other wind instruments. Common, and best developed in the lower Ohio Valley, but occurs from New York to Texas and Missouri.

POPLAR (See also Tulip Wood)

Wood light, very soft, not strong, of fine texture, and whitish, grayish to yellowish color, usually with a satiny l.u.s.ter. The wood shrinks moderately (some cross-grained forms warp excessively), but checks very little in seasoning; is easily worked, but is not durable.

Used in cooperage, for building and furniture lumber, for crates and boxes (especially cracker boxes), for woodenware, and paper pulp.

=92. Cottonwood= (_Populus monilifera_, var. _angulata_) (Carolina Poplar). Large-sized tree, forms considerable forests along many of the Western streams, and furnishes most of the cottonwood of the market. Heartwood dark brown, sapwood nearly white. Wood light, soft, not strong, and close-grained (see Fig. 14). Mississippi Valley and West. New England to the Rocky Mountains.

=93. Cottonwood= (_Populus fremontii_ var. _wislizeni_). Medium-to large-sized tree. Common. Wood in its quality and uses similiar to the preceding, but not so valuable. Texas to California.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14. A Large Cottonwood. One of the a.s.sociates of Red Gum.]

=94. Black Cottonwood= (_Populus trichocarpa_ var. _heterophylla_) (Swamp Cottonwood, Downy Poplar). The largest deciduous tree of Washington. Very common. Heartwood dull brown, sapwood lighter brown.

Wood soft, close-grained. Is now manufactured into lumber in the West and South, and used in interior finish of buildings. Northern Rocky Mountains and Pacific region.

=95. Poplar= (_Populus grandidentata_) (Large-Toothed Aspen).

Medium-sized tree. Heartwood light brown, sapwood nearly white. Wood soft and close-grained, neither strong nor durable. Chiefly used for wood pulp. Maine to Minnesota and southward along the Alleghanies.

=96. White Poplar= (_Populus alba_) (Abele-Tree). Small to medium-sized tree. Wood in its quality and uses similar to the preceding. Found princ.i.p.ally along banks of streams, never forming forests. Widely distributed in the United States.

=97. Lombardy Poplar= (_Populus nigra italica_). Medium-to large-sized tree. This species is the first ornamental tree introduced into the United States, and originated in Afghanistan. Does not enter into the markets. Widely planted in the United States.

=98. Balsam= (_Populus balsamifera_) (Balm of Gilead, Tacmahac). Medium- to large-sized tree. Heartwood light brown, sapwood nearly white. Wood light, soft, not strong, close-grained. Used extensively in the manufacture of paper pulp. Common all along the northern boundary of the United States.

=99. Aspen= (_Populus tremuloides_) (Quaking Aspen). Small to medium-sized tree, often forming extensive forests, and covering burned areas. Heartwood light brown, sapwood nearly white. Wood light, soft, close-grained, neither strong nor durable. Chiefly used for woodenware, cooperage, and paper pulp. Maine to Washington and northward, and south in the western mountains to California and New Mexico.

RED GUM (See Gum)

Sa.s.sAFRAS

=100. Sa.s.safras= (_Sa.s.safras sa.s.safras_). Medium-sized tree, largest in the lower Mississippi Valley. Wood light, soft, not strong, brittle, of coa.r.s.e texture, durable in contact with the soil. The sapwood yellow, the heartwood orange brown. Used to some extent in slack cooperage, for skiff- and boatbuilding, fencing, posts, sills, etc.

Occurs from New England to Texas and from Michigan to Florida.

SOUR GUM (See Gum)

SOURWOOD

=101. Sourwood= (_Oxydendrum arboreum_) (Sorrel-Tree). A slender tree, reaching the maximum height of 60 feet. Heartwood reddish brown, sapwood lighter color. Wood heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, and takes a fine polish. Ranges from Pennsylvania, along the Alleghanies, to Florida and Alabama, westward through Ohio to southern Indiana and southward through Arkansas and Louisiana to the Coast.

SWEET GUM (See Gum)

SYCAMORE

=102. Sycamore= (_Plata.n.u.s occidentalis_) (b.u.t.tonwood, b.u.t.ton-Ball Tree, Plane Tree, Water Beech). A large-sized tree, of rapid growth. One of the largest deciduous trees of the United States, sometimes attaining a height of 100 feet. It produces a timber that is moderately heavy, quite hard, stiff, strong, and tough, usually cross-grained; of coa.r.s.e texture, difficult to split and work, shrinks moderately, but warps and checks considerably in seasoning, but stands well, and is not considered durable for outside work, or in contact with the soil. It has broad medullary rays, and much of the timber has a beautiful figure. It is used in slack cooperage, and quite extensively for drawers, backs, and bottoms, etc., in furniture work. It is also used for cabinet work, for tobacco boxes, crates, desks, flooring, furniture, ox-yokes, butcher blocks, and also for finishing lumber, where it has too long been underrated. Common and largest in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, at home in nearly all parts of the eastern United States.

=103. Sycamore= (_Plata.n.u.s racemosa_). The California species, resembling in its wood the Eastern form. Not used to any great extent.

TULIP TREE

=104. Tulip Tree= (_Liriodendron tulipifera_) (Yellow Poplar, Tulip Wood, White Wood, Canary Wood, Poplar, Blue Poplar, White Poplar, Hickory Poplar). A medium- to large-sized tree, does not form forests, but is quite common, especially in the Ohio basin. Wood usually light, but varies in weight, it is soft, tough, but not strong, of fine texture, and yellowish color. The wood shrinks considerably, but seasons without much injury, and works and stands extremely well.

Heartwood light yellow or greenish brown, the sapwood is thin, nearly white, and decays rapidly. The heartwood is fairly durable when exposed to the weather or in contact with the soil. It bends readily when steamed, and takes stain and paint well. The mature forest-grown tree has a long, straight, cylindrical bole, clear of branches for at least two thirds of its length, surmounted by a short, open, irregular crown. When growing in the open, the tree maintains a straight stem, but the crown extends almost to the ground, and is of conical shape.

Yellow poplar, or tulip wood, ordinarily grows to a height of from 100 to 125 feet, with a diameter of from 3 to 6 feet, and a clear length of about 70 feet. Trees have been found 190 feet high and ten feet in diameter. Used in cooperage, for siding, for panelling and finishing lumber in houses, car- and shipbuilding, for sideboards, panels of wagons and carriages, for aeroplanes, for automobiles, also in the manufacture of furniture farm implements, machinery, for pump logs, and almost every kind of common woodenware, boxes shelving, drawers, etc., etc. Also in the manufacture of toys, culinary woodenware, and backing for veneer. It is in great demand throughout the vehicle and implement trade, and also makes a fair grade of wood pulp. In fact the tulip tree is one of the most useful of woods throughout the woodworking industry of this country. Occurs from New England to Missouri and southward to Florida.

TUPELO (See Gum)

WAAHOO

=105. Waahoo= (_Evonymus atropurpureus_). (Burning Bush, Spindle Tree).

A small-sized tree. Wood white, tinged with orange; heavy, hard, tough, and close-grained, works well and stands well. Used princ.i.p.ally for arrows and spindles. Widely distributed. Usually a shrub six to ten feet high, becoming a tree only in southern Arkansas and Oklahoma.

WALNUT

=106. Black Walnut= (_Juglans nigra_) (Walnut). A large, beautiful, and quickly-growing tree, about 60 feet and upwards in height. Wood heavy, hard, strong, of coa.r.s.e texture, very durable in contact with the soil. The narrow sapwood whitish, the heartwood dark, rich, chocolate brown, sometimes almost black; aged trees of fine quality bring fancy prices. The wood shrinks moderately in seasoning, works well and stands well, and takes a fine polish. It is quite handsome, and has been for a long time the favorite wood for cabinet and furniture making. It is used for gun-stocks, fixtures, interior decoration, veneer, panelling, stair newells, and all cla.s.ses of work demanding a high priced grade of wood. Black walnut is a large tree with stout trunk, of rapid growth, and was formerly quite abundant throughout the Alleghany region. Occurs from New England to Texas, and from Michigan to Florida. Not common.

WHITE WALNUT (See b.u.t.ternut)

WHITE WOOD (See Tulip and also Ba.s.swood)

WHITE WILLOW

=107. White Willow= (_Salix alba_ var. _vitellina_) (Willow, Yellow Willow, Blue Willow). The wood is very soft, light, flexible, and fairly strong, is fairly durable in contact with the soil, works well and stands well when seasoned. Medium-sized tree, characterized by a short, thick trunk, and a large, rather irregular crown composed of many branches. The size of the tree at maturity varies with the locality. In the region where it occurs naturally, a height of 70 to 80 feet, and a diameter of three to four feet are often attained. When planted in the Middle West, a height of from 50 to 60 feet, and a diameter of one and one-half to two feet are all that may be expected.

When closely planted on moist soil, the tree forms a tall, slender stem, well cleared branches. Is widely naturalized in the United States. It is used in cooperage, for woodenware, for cricket and baseball bats, for basket work, etc. Charcoal made from the wood is used in the manufacture of gunpowder. It has been generally used for fence posts on the Northwestern plains, because of scarcity of better material. Well seasoned posts will last from four to seven years.

Widely distributed throughout the United States.

=108. Black Willow= (_Salix nigra_). Small-sized tree. Heartwood light reddish brown, sapwood nearly white. Wood soft, light, not strong, close-grained, and very flexible. Used in basket making, etc. Ranges from New York to Rocky Mountains and southward to Mexico.

=109. Shining Willow= (_Salix lucida_). A small-sized tree. Wood in its quality and uses similiar to the preceding. Ranges from Newfoundland to Rocky Mountains and southward to Pennsylvania and Nebraska.

=110. Perch Willow= (_Salix amygdaloides_) (Almond-leaf Willow). Small to medium-sized tree. Heartwood light brown, sapwood lighter color.

Wood light, soft, flexible, not strong, close-grained. Uses similiar to the preceding. Follows the water courses and ranges across the continent; less abundant in New England than elsewhere. Common in the West.