The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-29
Merits OF Oypress Wood.

|
! Although the cypress tree grows in all
the states south Of the Ohio river and In
some districts north Of 1t, and notwlth-
standing the fact that It's wood ia very yalu-
able in many industries, still it's merits
are hardly known outside the regions
where 1t Is produced. The growth of the
cypress extends considerable distance I'D
| the valleys OF our southern rivers. 1t is
quite large tree, averaging from three to
hve feet IN diameter, and some trees are
exceptionally large-having diameter of
six, seven aud eight feet. I measured one
whose circumference was twenty.seven
feet. The cypress grows In the bottom
lands, sometimes In standing water, and
also on lands that are flooded. There are
TWO notable varleties-the white, growing
IN water and in the lowest places, and tho
! red, growing In the higher lands. The
wood OF this tree is Of q red color, some.
what harder than the white, and does not
float readily on account Of its weight. The
cypress grows well only in rich soils. and
tae high lands where 1t Is found are tho
very best lands III this state. The timber
is most excellent for fine work, sucn AZ
furniture, counters, shelving and wains-
coling. 1t Is susceptible of receiving q
high polish, which brings out its be autlful
veins and designs. As this wood does not
split easily across the grain, 1t Is we'll
adapted to carving. Exposed 10 the
weather, 1t Is almost everlasting. Shingles
OF we'll selected timber will last ff:y We 4rs
Picket fences sunk in the ground will las,
more than twenty five years, if all tho SAD
is removed.
Cypress is much stronger than white
pine, aud In our market Is worth more than
twice as much it has more elasticity; It
ls nailed without splitting; 1t does not
warp at all 1t does not readily absorb
moisture. When sawed up into planks
ana piled up exposed to tho weather it
docs not warp and crack. 1t Is exclusive
~ used in l. ,uislana for hogsheads. barrels,
tanks or cisterns, etc. Ithas been worked
into very good sounding boards for vioI,ns,
and the roots of the tree are said to be ex-
celent for veneerlng, for making corks
and razor straps. There is particular
season for telling the trees in order to OBJ
tain lumber Of good quality. It Ia late
IN the fall or III the beginning of the vim
ter when the sap ls solidiHcd. If cut ear
licr and suffered to liz onltho ground some
time, the sap Is attacked by a very small
worm; but If seasoned after being sawed,
| both the heart and sap of tho tree can b.
used probably. Tho sap, however, may
rot quickly IT externally exposed to tho
heat aud moisture Of tho atmosphere.
A third variety VI cypress ls Of smaller
size, harder and close grained-su,table
for exquisite fancy work. The trees grow
ing On the high lands make the most last
:. ing timber. 1t contains small quantity
OF gum, resembling much that OF pine, and
making it almost imperishable. Tue trees
grow worry large at tho bottom. and are Of
ton hollow to tho height Of four or five
feet. The trunks OF the large trees arc
90 feet or moro up to rs feet in height,
without branches, and usually perfectly
straight. In places where the trees ara
comparatively slender In sizo they grow
closer together and attain a greater height.
Spots could be selected where tho standing
trees would be sufficient, when felled, to
build two story house on the area on
which they stood. Tho timber is univers-
ally used for making picket fences. Tho
logs being cut III ten-feet sections, the
plckcts are epit by skimming and gong
around the log, in thickness of two inches
or more. 1t Is almost Impossible to split
the log centra lily, like oak or other timber.
For clapboards or shingles, it spllts per-
fcctly straight and as thin as can lie de-
sired. ."
Pirogues, or hunting boats are made
from tho large Expresses by scooping thom.
These boats form but ono solid piece, anu
are as strong as they are light. Tho
French and Spanish authorities never
fallcd, during hundred years Of colonial
rule, to recommend 70 their respective 70.
vernmcnts tho cypress timber as Quo OF
the most valuable that could be found.
My surprise, therefore, was very great
when lately asccrtained that this wood
IN the northern and western lumbor mar
kcts was almost entirely unknown to ar
chitects and lumbermen, who, for purpo.
ses of construction, attach 80 much Import
ance to white plno, which Is so vastly III
| ierlor to white and red cypress. l could
show the architects and lumbermen houses
in New Orleans that were built OF cyptes.
| In TOTO more than one hundred years aro,
! and the materials arc as sound as on the
first day on which they were used--do va
to the very foundations.
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