New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
4 GREAT VARIETY OF WOODS.
SAMPLES OF AMERICAN TREES IN THE
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.
THE JEs1-P COLLECTION NOW SEEN TO GOOD
! MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE GROUND
FLOOR OF THE NEW WING.
/ While the handsome east wing OF the American
Museum of Natural History was being built some
OF the great grumbling class were crying out
against the cost. There will be pride in the new
wing however, for every public-spirited citizen
when 1t is stocked with the treasures that the sew
eral ourators have been obliged to hide away IN
their storerooms and cupboards. Last Tuesday
there was a foretase OF what great addition this
wing will be to the institution Tho ground moor
was opened to the public. and though, even now.
by no means complete. 1t gave the visitor fair
idea Of the unique and invaluable collection OF
American woods, which Morris X. Jesup has pre-
scented to the museum. In former years 1t was
crowded on the first floor of the main building ana
many visitors passed 1t by. much as one would
lumber yard. Each trunk is most carefully cut,
showing the granting of each section Of the tree,
perpendcularly, anguarly and horizontally, ana
one-haf of the sections is polished. while the other
shows the unpublished appearance Of the newly
sawed wood. A large part Of each trunk has been
left untouched showing the distinguishing bark
Of the
AN AID TO STUDENTS.
In the old hall each specimen had card giving
It's name. and a map OF the United States with a
together with a statement Of its hardness. gravity
and such dry facts. There one thing. however,
that was looked for in vain What was the foiiase
OF the tree its flower its fruit? These were essen
tlal points for the inquring tree-lover and no"
Mr. Jesup has supplied the longfelt want for
over nearly every exhibit hangs well-painted
picture showing a twig bough Of the tree IN
leaf or flower and the ripe ripening fruit
THE GREAT FAMILIES OF FRS AND PINES.
The big hall is not too crowded with glass STAGED
cases OF mahogany and as enters and turns
10 the left TO be seen the great famlhes Oh
frs and pines whose wood has been and IS the
chief mainstay of the great lumber trade OF TINS
country Among these the white spruce. larch.
black spruce gray pine, yellow pine cedar pine
and pitch pine Then there are the tamarack. bal
sam and hemlock pines with specimens or the
slash. scrub gray, Table Mountain, Torrey' red'
sugar Jersey, pond lobolly and knob cone pines.
Each Of these has its own habitat and It's own
leaf but much marked characteristic Is the
cone. The cones range in size from peanut 10
good sized beet root An extraordinary pine is the
bull pine of the West. which has cone as large as
and greatly resembling in shape well-grown pine
apple.
The cedars are represented By the incense white
Fort oxford and red. which found in different
parts Of the United States and are most valuable
as timber Nearly every cigarbox is made out OF
cedar and in former days this was the wood almost
exclusively used In the pencil trade. There are sew
eral specimens Of juniper, and the pictures show
the berry that is used for havoring GIN
THE AMERICAN YEw.
In little patch in the south of florida is found
the yew, allied 10 the cypress. The old Engishnan
cherished this tree with great reverence for from
II came the mighty bows of the English archers,
and to-day many old English churchyard the
ancient yew trees still alive
The only specimen OF native nutmeg which ought
70 have been found in Connecticut, was obtained
yfit~na &c M
but the wood is hard and takes good polish
REMINDERS OF THE TROPICS.
A beautiful, case Of palms reminds one that the
limited States has a tropical end. There are fine
specmens OF all of them. The yucca, or Spanish
bayonet gives fine fibre and has q luxuriant
growth OF nearly pure white flowers About IL the
arboricuurist has placed its neghbors the cotton
wood balsam poplar, willow and black willow.
Then come the alders. chiefly useful for basket max
ing so far az their boughs are CONCERNED but hay
ing hard and serviceable wood me prenes M
their brch-bark boats. and then there is the cherry
tree, red and white There is 1hy one oeecH am nI
the kind which gives the Italian ped-er his nuts is
alone represented
MANY KINDS OF OAKS.
The oaks form an admirable exhibition, and they
have been collected from every part of the country
They comprise the willow, shinse, laurel water
black lack Spanish Turkey. pin. scarlet red, black
evergreen. yellow, chestnut bur. post and white
In almost every instance they have hard wood
that takes f &ea1 thu ppcaes they grow in the
formation color of their leaves or the Color anu
That truly American tree, the hickory, shows on
its polished surface what hard wood II Is ana how
handsomely IT is grained. Among the species 10 ne
seen are The big shelbark, pig nut, mocker nut
bitter nut and pecan aust caDra me
of the nuts. which will make the small boy mouth
water Mex, one Gan s G
but look too spongy to be used for anyt I'M eS
orange a hardwood tree that bears rough fruit
The red and white mulberry trees are IN evdfpce
come the elms. the American, rock Wahoo and
w. nrzed for their stately beauty The bays the
next take one little further south and The
the passenger pigeon would fight to the death for
is also displayed The wood OF this is OF a
dark chocolate color and takes fine polish
SPECIMENS FROM THE SOUTH
Sections of the sea-grape and mangrove carry
one in mind fairly into the tropics. The barks Of
both OF these are useful for tanning purposes.
There is a stump OF catalpa. well stumps
of the black and white ash. The colored visitor
viii probably be surprised to learn that the wood
while his mouth waters at the excellent picture OF
the fruit hanging over the exhibit. There fine
elder sr'''e''' '' - D'''e
As one wanders about he comes across a strange
thing in woods Of mercantile 1t is a section
of giant cactus from Southern Arizona The
outside shell is hard and disable, and the pulpy in
terror like bees nest cut in half. 1t is curious
and finely preserved specimen, probably the only one
in the country
The buttonwood is well represented. and then
comes the witch hazel. well known in pharmacy
This has fine grained wood and bears flowers
almost white just tnged with pink. Eaws and
thorns shown, with the mountain ash and our
different cherries such as the wild red and that
pungent member OF the family the purpe soc
Close alongside these are placed a stump of ebony
from away down South. and block Of a tamarin
tree, Next are the sumachs. poison. dwarf and
SITS red dvyar ,ipx
broad-leaved and mountain. The list ends with the
different magnolias. crowned with their peerless
blossoms
THE DOWA GER EMPRESS or RCsSIA
From The Gentewoman
Tho 10