Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
STUDY OF GRAIN IN WOOD
OF WONDERFUL
MARKINGS IN LUMBER.
Rings Show Years Of Growth of
Tree-Difference in Spring and
Summer Wood.

81. II. Rowland. in Suburban Life.
The grain In a handsome piece of wood.
beautiful in its delicate lines, makes its
appeal to the imagination as well as to
the esthetic sense, when one stops to re-
member that for decades Of years. nature.
deep in her forest workshops. has been
slowly forming the subtle tracery which
now, freed from its covering of bark. ex-
cites the admiration Of the eye.
The grain, as we see 1t In the wood. Is
produced by the various-shaped cells and
degree Of hardness Of the wood made AT
different seasons of the year: the wood
being cut on one angle or another, ac-
cording to the kind, to aecentuate some
special popularity.
When looking at a board-pine for in
stance-which has been made smooth,
many parallel lines will be seen. some Oh
which are slightly darker than the others.
II the end OF the board is then examined,
it will be seen that these parallel lines
tally exactly with the annual rings which
denote the age Of the tree.
Each year the tree adds to its diameter
by making new wood. This is formed at
the growing point; which aa is Just d unner
the seasons growth is of two different
kinds-spring wood and summer wood.
The spring wood Is the softer and is
much more porous, the cells being larger:
the summer WOOD Is udIheI III ClduC aIiu
much more firm. the cells being smaller
and heavier. 1t is this summer growth
that determines the strength and weight
of the wood. In some Of the hard pines.
and in the soft pines. the line OF demar-
cation between the spring and the sum-
mer growth is hardly discernible. while
in some Of the hard pines II Is quite dis
ttnct In any case. the line marking the
end Of the summers growth and that OF
the succeeding springs growth is very
T. 1t, 1s.,~ hot {e nnt q
when the age Of tree is being computed
by counting the rings. The thickness OF
the annual growth varies: In young trees
it Is much thicker than in old trees.
Cause Of the Markings.
Growth takes place in the hardWoods,
like oak, the same as in the soft woods,
but the spring is darker than the sum-
mer wood, and 1t lis composed, in a large
proportion. Of large cells or pores. 1t
is this band Of large pores which gives to
a board the peculiar V-shaped markings
SO frequently seen In. oak and chestnut.
To get these V-shaped markings the
board after another being taken from
the log. commencing on one side. and
taking of board after board until the log
is finished. The natural taper of the tree
will cross the grain sufficiently to bring
out the desired markings when sawed
radially. or on the quarter; these cells
show, but look like black hair-like lines
distributed over the face of the wood.
In addition to the cells which carry
the sap up the trunk. there are others
that act as binders-they hold the cells to-
Rether. These are called pith, or medul-
larry rays. and are most prominent In the
oak When seen from the end. they look
like long narrow Sits. but. railways, they
are sometimes one-half inch across: gen
orally, however. they are only one-fourth
Of an inch to the greatest breadth. That
these cells may show to the greatest ad-
vantage. peculiar method OF saving is
resorted to. First. the log is quartered.
which means that it Is sawed into four
parts by first halving the log and then
cutting each half into two pieces. A
quarter of the log Is then set on the
carriage go that the point of the quarter
is up. This method OF saving costs more
than straight saving. because of the
waste of timber and the extra time con-
sumed. This is why quartered oak costs
so much more than ordinary oak. The
grain Of the wood is usually parallel to
the pith. or axis Of. the tree. but somes
times there are conditions which cause
the cells to grow in ObliQue or wavy lines.
or even twisted. These contortions OF the
grain very often make what would other
wise be ordinary timber a highly priced
cabinet wood.
One of the trees prone to have this pc
culiar growth Is the beech. In this timber
there will be found bundles of fiber which
ascend obliquely in one direction. while
the next bundle will ascend obliquely in
the opposite direction. Wood In which
the fiber is so disposed is very hard to
split, as any one familiar with splitting
wood will at once remember. There Is
no way of telling whether a log has such
q peculiar grain until it has been tested,
for q straight cut across the end gives no
indication of 1t whatever. Two of our
most important cabinet woods owe their
value to the popularity Of their growth
The curly birch, with which we are all
familiar is valuable because OF the some
what crooked grain which. when properly
cut, gives the surface beautiful wavy
appearance. Nobody knows just why the
grain is wavy. nor have there been
any plausible explanations of 1t. so far as
/ know. The kinds of wood most often
found with this wavy grain are birch,
beech and maple.
How the Bird's-Eyes Grow.
When there is any injury to the bark
or wood. or Mhen a branch dies or is