Wood is similar to black spruce but lighter in weight. Used for pulp, framing, and sounding-boards.
Hemlock.—The most dainty of the eastern evergreens, with little cones about three quarters of an inch long, and needles half an inch. Found throughout the country east of the Mississippi and in some sections used for Christmas decorations.
A slow growing tree with wood of little value, being brittle, light, and difficult to work, as it has a crooked grain and is liable to splinter. The tree makes up in beauty what it lacks as a timber producer and its bark is rich in tannin.
Larch, Tamarack or Hackmatack.—Local names for the same tree. Drops all its needles in the fall, like a broad-leaved tree, but the beauty of the brilliant new green needles in the spring is a sight worth going miles to see.
Found from the Lake states north to the Arctic Circle. Needles an inch long. Cones from one half to three quarters.
Wood is heavy, hard and strong. Used in ship building, for telegraph poles, posts, and ties.
Fir, Balsam Fir, Balsam.—On all firs the cones stand upright on the branches, while on spruces they hang down. As these two trees are often intermingled, this is an easy way to distinguish them. The needles of the firs are also blunt, while those of the spruces are sharply pointed.
This is the so-called Christmas tree and balsam pillows are made from its needles.
Needles about three quarters of an inch long, cones almost black in colour, from two to four inches long.
Wood of little value, being soft and weak.