San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-09
WALNUT RANKS
AMONG FINEST
WOODS IN Use
Growing Scarcity Now
Makes 1t Costly and Diff
ficult to Secure.
CLASSIC In FURNITURE
Specimens of Walnut Are
Known to Have Lasted
for Centuries.

The Indians of New York called it
5 sDent- sookwa-no-ne," and today We
term it American walnut, referring
10 the deservedly popular and beauti-
full wood which has lately returned to
such favor.
Whatever the literal translation
( of the Indian word may mean, GER
tain it is that, in beauty of form,
! texture and finish, the wood stands
UNPARALLELED. The first American
! settlers. carving, their way out OF
the wilderness, saw in the American
walnut even a superior wood TO the
ones which they had left in their
old homes. The wood became very
popular for rails. buildings, furnl-
ture and rifle stocks.
Walnut has always been popular
among foreign furniture makers, al
thoagh the high point of its popu-
larity - now being rivaled by inc
present reviyal-was in the ColomaI
period. when honest craftsmen carved
and built hundreds of beautiful speci-
mems of the cabinet makers craft.
Mentioned in Bible.
tn, earliest known use of walnut
wood is recorded in the Bible. when
in the construction Of King Solomon
temple. ebony, teak and Indian walnut
wore used. The Romans. during the
daTs of the empire. used walnut for We
neering. thus taking advantage OF the
beautiful figure of the grain. The
wood was likewise much in favor IN
italy. where the fine craftsmen did
much exquisite carving. A folding
chair of walnut made in 1870 is in
museum in Florentine. still in good
condition.
Walnut trees. although first intro
dueed in England by the Romans,
were not planted in any considerable
numbers until about 1865. Then, for
more than 100 years. they continued to
GROW. until in the time of Queen Anne.
they were hewn 10 make furniture, OF
which some specimens are still In ex-
istence
In England. the artistic expression
, Of Heppelwhite. Sheraton, Chippen-
dale and the Adams brothers. names
most intimately connected with the
beautiful in furniture, found much OF
its outlet in walnut wood. Flemish,
Italian, French. English and American
woodworkers alike have repeatedly
shown their preference for walnut as
Z a durable and artisically satisfying
wood.
Early American History.
The very earliest American walnut
was naturally patterned after the
specimens which the colonists had
brought with them from England,
France. Spain and Holland. Ameri-
cans. proud of the birth and history of
their country, are also aware of the
intimate manner in which walnut fur
. niture is associated with the history of
the colonies.
Walnut furniture was often found
listed on the colonists' claims for
damages. demanded of the British
authorities when British soldiers had
been quartered in various American
homes. Mrs. Washington. the mother
of the first President, wishing to make
her granddaughter, Betty Carter, be-
quest of permanent value, chose fine
walnut writing table. and in 1853 it is
recorded that Governor Winslow of
Plymouth presided at a huge walnut
table.
American walnut-or black walnut,
as many term it's found in many
sections in the United States. in the
eastern and central states and the
north part Of the southern states. Its
popularity caused it TO be cut early,
and between 1850 and 1915 it was
widely used. In the next quarter of
century. from production Of about
= 125,000,000 feet a year. there was a
drop of about j0,000,000 feet.
" There the figure remained until th'
war. when production figures jumped
TO 100,000,000 feet yearly because o.
- the governments demand for the wood
~ to be used in gunstOcks and propeller'
on airplanes. These tests revealed
scientifically what had been apparent
4 to many for long time-that it is ex
cessively strong. In tests for airplan'
propellers it ranks first. Since tina
time the rapid return Of walnut t.
popularity indicates new production
records will soon be reached.
X Walnut for HeirlOOms.
If you are interested in "buyine
your own heirlooms." walnut should
be your choice of wood. Its remark
able preservation qualities are equalled
only by its natural, lasting beauty. TIL
wood is a rich brown. with the colo
an inherent part Of il. Dents ant
scratches affect it not at all in the
matter Of finish. and no other WOO,
reveals such variety of figure and dc
sign.
Real walnut is easily distinguished,
by its pores. which are little tubule
scattered through the wood. These ap
pear as dots or dashes and fine pen
lines. depending upon wheth'S- thu
wood has been cut with or across The
grain. In texture the wood is firm
and close grained, and for this rcasnl
is very suitable for carving.
The war revealed that. scattcrc'
throughout the country. there are mil
lions and millions IF feet of walmu
lumber. for. although most Of the wa
nut forests are gone. yet the trees hav
been held in such esteem that the prob
lem OF reforestation has been uncor
sciously solved by individual planting'
K Copyright. American Home Bureau.
-e-Sc
One day Sir william Gllbert-of Gil
bert and sullivan fame-was bore
greatly by a man who posed a.
shakespearean scholar suspecting tina
the man was pretending TO knowled {