the timber used in building houses, for floors, beams, rafters, and roofs, is Fir. Geo. Does it all grow in this country? Tut. Scarcely any of it. Norway, Sweden, and Russia, are the countries from which we draw our timber, and a vast trade there is in it. You have seen timber-yards ? Geo. O yes several. Tut. In them you would observe some very long thick beams, called balks. These are whole trees, only stripped of the bark and squared. You would also see great piles of planks and boards, of different lengths and thickness. Those are called deal, and are brought over ready sawn from the countries where they grow. They are of different colours. The white are chiefly from the Fir-tree; the yellow and red from the Pine. Har. I suppose there must be great forests of them in those countries, or else they could not send us so much. Tut. Yes. The mountains of Norway are overrun with them, enough for the supply of all Europe; but on account of their ruggedness, and the want of roads, it is found impossible to get the trees, when felled, down to the sea coast, unless they grow near some river. Geo. How do they manage them? Tut. They take the opportunity when the rivers are swelled with rains or melted snow, and tumble the trees into them, when they are carried down to the mouths of the rivers, where they are stopped by a kind of pens. Har. I should like to see them swimming down the stream. Tut. Yes it would be curious enough; for in some places these torrents roll over rocks, making steep water-falls, down which the trees are carried headlong, and often do not rise again till they are got to a considerable distance; and many of them are broken, and torn to pieces in the pas sage. Geo. Are these woods used for thing beside building ? any Tut. For a variety of purposes; such as boxes, trunks, packing-cases, pales, wainscots, and the like. Deal is a very soft wood, easily worked, light, and cheap, which makes it preferred for so many uses, though it is not very durable, and is very liable to split. Har. Yes-I know my box is made of Deal, and the lid is split all to pieces with driving nails into it. Geo. Are ships ever built with Fir? Tut. It was one of the first woods made use of for naval purposes: and in the poets you will find the words Pine and Fir frequently employed to signify ship. But as navigation has improved, the stronger and more durable woods have generally taken its place. However in the countries where Fir is very plentiful, large ships are still built with it; for though they last but a short time, they cost so little in proportion, that the profit of a few voyages is sufficient to repay the expence. Then from the great lightness of the wood, they swim higher in the water, and consequently will bear more loading. Most of the large ships that bring timber from Archangel in Russia are built of Fir. As for the masts of ships, those I have already told you are all made of Fir or Pine, on account of their straightness and lightness. Geo. Are there not some lines in Milton's Paradise Lost about that? Tut. Yes. The spear of Satan is magnified by a comparison with a lofty Pine. His spear, to equal which the tallest Pine H Har. I remember, too, that the walking staff of the giant Polypheme was a Pine. Tut. Ay-so Virgil and Ovid tell us, and he must have been a giant indeed, to use such a stick. Well, so much for. the wood of these trees. But I have more to say about their uses. Har. I am glad of it. Tut. All of the tribe contain a juice of a bitterish taste and strong fragrant smell. This, in some, is so abundant as to flow out from incisions; when it is called Turpentine. The larch, in particular, yields a large quantity. Turpentine is one of the substances called resinous; it is sticky, transparent, very inflamma. ble, and will not mix with water, but will dissolve in spirits of wine. Geo. What is it used for? · Tut. It is used medicinally, particularly in the composition of plasters and ointments. It also is an ingredient in |