+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | _The Soft Woods_ | +--------------+----------------+---------------------+-----------+ | VERY DURABLE | DURABLE | INTERMEDIATE |NON-DURABLE| +--------------+----------------+---------------------+-----------+ |Northern white|Douglas fir. | Eastern hemlock. | True firs.| | cedar. |Tamarack. | Western hemlock. | Spruces. | |Western red |Western larch. | Loblolly-pine. | | | cedar. |Long-leaf yellow| Norway pine. | | |Cypress. | pine. | Short-leaf yellow | | |Redwood. |Eastern white | pine. | | | | pine. | Sugar-pine. | | | | | Western white pine. | | | | | Western yellow pine.| | +--------------+----------------+---------------------+-----------+ | _The Hard Woods_ | +--------------+----------------+---------------------+-----------+ | Chestnut. | Black cherry. | White ash. |Basswood. | | Black walnut.| White oak. | Butternut. |Beech. | | Black locust.| | Red gum. |Birch. | | | | Yellow poplar. |Buckeye. | | | | Red oak. |Cottonwood.| | | | |White elm. | | | | |Hard maple.| | | | |Soft maple.| | | | |Sycamore. | | | | |Cotton gum.| +--------------+----------------+---------------------+-----------+ For rough underflooring and sheathing the cheapest and most abundant local wood is used. Durability is not essential. For shingles the most durable woods must be used, such as cypress, cedar, and redwood. Lath are generally cut from waste slabs, and should be of some soft wood like spruce or of one of the softer hard woods. Siding should be made from one of the soft woods, especially those which are classed as durable in the table. Porch columns and the like require very durable woods. They should be hollow except for very small ones. Built-up columns of interlocking type are usually specified, but the lumber used should be thoroughly kiln-dried so that the joints will not open. [Illustration: Edge grain Flat grain Difference in the cut of flooring boards. The flat grain in the softer woods is not durable.]