has a fine, uniform texture and a spicy odor. Incense-cedar
is light in weight, moderately low in strength, soft, low in
shock resistance, and low in stiffness. It has low shrinkage
and is easy to dry, with little checking or warping.
Incense-cedar is used principally for lumber and fence
posts. Nearly all the high-grade lumber is used for pencils
and venetian blinds; some is used for chests and toys. Much
incense-cedar wood is more or less pecky; that is, it con-
tains pockets or areas of disintegrated wood caused by ad-
vanced stages of localized decay in the living tree. There is
no further development of decay once the lumber is dried.
Other uses are railroad crossties, poles, split shingles, pen-
cils, and composite fireplace logs.
Larch, Western
Western larch (Larix
occidentalis) grows in
western Montana, north-
ern Idaho, northeastern
Oregon, and on the east-
ern slope of the Cascade
Mountains in Washing-
ton. About two-thirds
of the lumber of this
species is produced in Idaho and Montana and one-third in
Oregon and Washington.
The heartwood of western larch is yellowish brown and the
sapwood is yellowish white. The sapwood is generally not
more than 2.5 cm (1 in.) wide. The wood is stiff, moderate-
ly strong and hard, moderately high in shock resistance, and
moderately heavy. It has moderately high shrinkage. The
wood is usually straight grained, splits easily, and is subject
to ring shake. Knots are common but generally small and
tight.
Western larch is used mainly for rough dimension wood in
building construction, small timbers, planks and boards, and
railroad crossties and mine timbers. It is used also for piles,
poles, and posts. Some high-grade material is manufactured
into interior woodwork, flooring, sashes, doors, and ladder
stock. The properties of western larch are similar to those of
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and these species are
sometimes sold mixed.
Pine, Eastern White
Eastern white pine (Pinus
strobus) grows from
Maine to northern Geor-
gia and in the Great Lake
States. It is also known
as white pine, northern
white pine, Weymouth
pine, and soft pine. Aboutone-half the production of eastern white pine lumber occurs
in New England, about one-third in the Great Lake States,
and most of the remainder in the middle Atlantic and south
Atlantic States.
The heartwood of eastern white pine is light brown, often
with a reddish tinge. It turns darker on exposure to air. The
wood has comparatively uniform texture and is straight
grained. It is easily kiln dried, has low shrinkage, and ranks
high in stability. It is also easy to work and can be readily
glued. Eastern white pine is lightweight, moderately soft,
moderately low in strength, low in shock resistance, and
low in stiffness.
Practically all eastern white pine is converted into lumber,
which is used in a great variety of ways. A large propor-
tion, mostly second-growth knotty wood or lower grades,
is used for structural lumber. High-grade lumber is used for
patterns. Other important uses are sashes, doors, furniture,
interior woodwork, knotty paneling, caskets, shade and map
rollers, and toys.
Pine, Jack
Jack pine (Pinus banksi‑
ana), sometimes known
as scrub, gray, and black
pine in the United States,
grows naturally in the
Great Lake States and in
a few scattered areas in
New England and north-
ern New York. Sapwood
of jack pine is nearly white; heartwood is light brown to
orange. Sapwood may constitute one-half or more of the
volume of a tree. The wood has a rather coarse texture and
is somewhat resinous. It is moderately lightweight, mod-
erately low in bending strength and compressive strength,
moderately low in shock resistance, and low in stiffness. It
also has moderately low shrinkage. Lumber from jack pine
is generally knotty.
Jack pine is used for pulpwood, box lumber, and pallets.
Less important uses include railroad crossties, mine timber,
slack cooperage, poles, posts, and fuel.
Pine, Lodgepole
Lodgepole pine (Pinus
contorta), also known
as knotty, black, and
spruce pine, grows in
the Rocky Mountain and
Pacific Coast regions as
far northward as Alaska.
Wood for lumber and
other products isChapter 2 Characteristics and Availability of Commercially Important Woods