CHERRY
THE TREE
CHERRY IS A NORTHERN TEMPERATE GENUS WITH TWO TIMBERS OF SPECIAL INTEREST, EUROPEAN CHERRY, OBTAINED THROUGH MUCH OF EUROPE AND INTO ASIA MINOR, AND AMERICAN BLACK CHERRY OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. EUROPEAN CHERRY, THOUGH FAIRLY COMMON, IS A TREE OF ONLY MODEST SIZE. AMERICAN CHERRY IS SOMEWHAT LARGER, REACHING 30M IN HEIGHT WITH LOGS COMMONLY 35 TO 50cm IN DIAMETER.
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THE WOOD
CHERRY IS A FINE-TEXTURED, GENERALLY STRAIGHT-GRAINED WOOD, WHICH IS PALE PINKISH-BROWN WHEN FIRST CUT BUT DARKENS ON EXPOSURE, AND AFTER PROLONGED USE CAN BECOME ALMOST MAHOGANY-RED. ITS APPEARANCE IS OCCASIONALLY MARRED BY GUM-STREAKS AND FLECKS. EUROPEAN CHERRY IS MARGINALLY HEAVIER THAN AMERICAN AND INTERMEDIATE IN WEIGHT BETWEEN MAHOGANY AND WALNUT.
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TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
CHERRY NEEDS CARE IN DRYING AS IT TENDS TO DISTORT, BUT, ONCE DRY, IS MODERATELY STABLE IN USE. IT HAS GOODS STRENGTH FOR ITS WEIGHT THOUGH IT IS NOT PARTICULARLY STIFF. IT SAWS EASILY AND CAN BE WORKED WITH BOTH HAND AND MACHINE TOOLS TO GIVE AN EXCELLENT FINISH. IT IS OF UNCERTAIN DURABILITY, BUT IS PROBABLY BEST NOT USED IN CONDITIONS FAVORING DECAY.
USES
CHERRY IS A DECORATIVE WOOD USED FOR FURNITURE AND CABINETWORK. EUROPEAN CHERRY IS AVAILABLE IN ONLY LIMITED QUANTITIES AND TENDS TO BE USED FOR SPECIAL ITEMS OF FURNITURE. AMERICAN CHERRY IS MORE READILY AVAILABLE AND OF COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE IN THE MIDDLE-ATLANTIC STATES. IT IS USED FOR PANELING, FURNITURE, HIGH-CLASS JOINERY AND AS THE BACKING BLOCKS FOR ELECTROTYPE PLATES.
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SOFT WOODS:
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