Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-26

There hasrecently been placed on exhibition,
at the New York Museum Of Natural History,
analmostcomple misrepresentation 1.-THE trees OF
the United States, between 400 and 500 trunk
sections Of the different species These speoi-
mems are about feet inches long each, cut
in such manner az TO display their barks and
the transverse and longitudinal sections OF
the wood. This is done by cutting away one
side Of each specimen at the top TO the depth
Of one-half the diameter Of the trunk and for
one-third Of it's length. One-half Of each ex-
posed portion is polished to illustrate the effect
of this treatment of the wood, the remainder
being left in the natural condition, with the
top OF the upper divided part finished by
beveling. In the case OF trees Of commercial
importance this foru Of representation il sup
plemented by carefully selected planks, or by
burls, showing better than the logs the true
industrial value Of the wood. Among spec
linens of this kind is plank Of redwood
measuring 81 feet in width. species re-
markable for slow growth and which is only
"a inches in diameter, shows an age OF 40
years, being the oldest tree in the collection.
This is the Piced EngellRdnni, named for its
discoverer, DIR. Eugemann, and known also
az Engemann's spruce. Another example OF
slow growth is seen in the Pinus eduliS, or
edible pine, from Arizona, called also nut
pine The seed of this pine, which resembles
a good sized bean, is used by the Indians for
food. A tree of this species which Is 1863
years old measures only 10 inches in diameter
Another specimen, which is 341 years old,
shows a diameter Of 81 inches. 1t is the wes-
tern shell bark hickory from Attention, Mo-
The same locality is represented by speci-
men of the Tilid americana, or Eastwood
which is 40 inches in diameter, and 100 years
old.
This valuable collection, numerically ex-
ceeding that made in connection with the
census reports, includes examples Of many
curious and interesting species, Of which pro-
badly the complete natural series could never
have been viewed in their native soil by any
single traveller, however diligent. Among
specimens of such interest is that of the
GleditsChid tyidcdntditS, OF honey locust, from
Missouri. This is a tree of singular appear
ance. Its trunk is covered with thorn clus-
tors, the spikes shooting raylike in all direct
ions from their growth centres. These thorn
formations have their basis in the bark alone,
without any source whatever in the wood it.
self not even reaching it, and are easily de-
tached. 1t was, therefore, necessary TO sus-
pend the tree from the ceiling Of the car in
its journey from the west.
Another equally extraordinary tree is a rep
resentative of Texas. This is the CereuS gi-
| gdntuS, which resembles huted column. 1t
is a tree which can be readily taken all to
| pieces. It's component parts are in the form
of vertical sections of twisting curvRtures in
the line of their circumference, whereby one
| portion is fitted exactly to another. They
can be separated without the slightest diff
| Guilty, in the absence Of any heart at the cen
tire for their attachment. The Washington
palm from Southern California is also curl.
US. The specimen includes the top of the
tree, which is severed from the body, and
bears its dried and yellow wide spreading
leaves. Its popularity is in the ring forma-
| lions of the trunk, which are almost wholly
detached from each other standing one with.
in another like a succession of forms of bark
They are easily detached from each other.
| The cocoanut tree from Key West and the
finely odorous nutmeg tree from OalifOrnis
are among other specimens of Importance.
! The catalpa is represented as a species most
remarkable for its durability. Some of this
wood known to have been buried in the earth
for seventy five years has been brought ouI
in perfectly sound condition. Specimens Of
beautiful woods are seen in the holapensis
the arbutus, sweet bay, Alaska cedar, and the
beautifully figured maple burl from Missouri
! With only seven unimpOrtant exceptions
the specific gravity, ash, and fuel value Of
the wood of every indigenous aboresoent spe
cies of the United States have been scientihcal
ly determined. The specific gravity is obtain
ed 10y weighing carefully measured specimens
100 millimeters long and about thirty FIVE
millimeters square, previously subjected to 9
temperature of 1909 until their weight became
constant. The ash is given in percentages
of dry wood, which are determined by burn
ing small blocks of the wood in a muffle fur
mace at a low temperature. The relative ap
proximate full value Of any wood ia obtained
by deductiDg its percentage of ash from i'll
specific gravity. The correctness of the re
suit thus found is based uponIthe hypothesis
first proposed by Count Rumford, that thu
value of equal weights of all woods for fuel /,
the same, which is considered to be approx
mately true. Scientific american.