Who'swho at the hadwood zoo

AYDREAMING in the hardwood trade sometimes starts minds wandering to the more trivial topics of the business. Such as where did dogwood get its bark or an elephant tree its trunk? The list of trees named after animals could fill up volumes and the origins of their christenings arejust as varied.

Perhaps the most common of these trees is dogwood (Cornus florida), or cornel. Legend has it that an astringent tonic made from its bark was formerly used to wash many dogs. More likely, its name is a derivative of ''daggerwood," sticks once used to skewer meats. Found in many temperate countries, dogwood is noted for its strength and has been traditionally used in the textile industry.

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) , or buckeye, is widely grown in the central and Atlantic states. Early California settlers reportedly used its large nutlike seed as food or medicine for horses. In fact, the seeds are inedible and even poisonous ifunproperly cooked. A plain wood oflow strength, horse chestnut is used for general purposes, such as in manufacturing lightweight boxes and crates.

The heaviest known of all woods is snakewood (Piratinera guianensis), so called because its deep mahogany red color is covered with irregularly shaped dark markings which South American natives compared to spotted snake skins. The rare tropical wood is also known as letterwood because the markings also suggest hieroglyphic characters.

Supply is strictly limited because of is scarcity and the small sizes available, making it one of the most expensive woods on the market. Uses include walking sticks, umbrella handles, presentation caskets, veneer and fancy articles.

Still in South America, partridgewood (Cae salpinia Smnadiilo) from Venezuela is also referred to as granadillo, coffeewood. maracaibo. and brorvn or maracai- bo ebony. The ornamental wood is a dark chocolate brown to near black, relieved by fine, regular markings of lighter color, suggesting the markings on a partridge's wing. Another extremely dense, strong, hard wood, it has been used for umbrella handles and turned wooden knobs for doors and furniture.

Story at a Glance

Common hardwood species names derived frcm appearance oruses...animal and bird kingdoms well rcpresented...vernacular often has little relationshiP to the botanical label.

Tigerwood is easily worked and used mainly for furniture and paneling.

The elephant-tren (Bursera micropylla) is plentiful in Mexico and has been found in the deserts of Colorado and Arizona. Its name comes from yarns by old prospectors who would tell of "a tree with a gray bark bleached nearly white, and boughs like elephants'trunks, and a wood that bleeds like an animal when you cut it." The wood from this massive-trunked tree is hard, yet it is useful now for its blood-red sap, which is used in Mexico as a varnish base, wood preservative, adhesive and remedy for venereal diseases.

Another unique desert tree, which runs from Mexico north to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and southernmost Nevada and California, is the desert cat's-claw (Acacia greggii).It was named "ufra de gato" by the Mexicans who noted its armament of spines which tear the flesh and clothing of all within its grasp. Its very hard, strong and durable wood is used to make trinkets and souvenirs and as a peerless fuel substitute for coal.

Even more distinctive is zebrawood (Microberlinia brazzavillensis), or zebrano or zingana. African natives years ago noted its resemblance to the striped mammal with the pale brown or straw colored wood having many exceptionally pronounced fine stripes ofdark brown, almost black, color. Highly decorative, zebrawood is mainly shipped in from Cameroon and Gaboon for use as veneer for fancy inlay in furniture and cabinetwork and sometimes for paneling.

Another West African wood, which also got its name from its appearance, is tigerwood (Lovoa trichilioides, lnvoa klaineana), or congowood. It is graybrorvn to gold in color with black streaks.

Even some of the most popular hardwoods are referred to by animalistic nicknames. For example, coffeetree is also known as bearberry, sycamore maple as harewood, and persimmon as possomwood and wild red cherry as bird cherry because of the birds and animals attracted to their fruits.

But such a list of the uncommon hardwoods and non-hardwoods seems endless. There's ant's wood, bird's eye maple, bull bay magnolia, coyote willow, crab wood, hog gum, hog plum, horse bean, horse sugar, hippomane, pigeon plum, pignut, possom haw, sheepberry, wild goose plum, bear, cow and turkey oak, and the softwoods cat and skunk spruce and bull, chihuahua and foxtail pine.

Now don't laugh it offifyour next customer walks in and asks about your supply ofhyenawood.

Put Out The Fire

The 4-p. "Design of Fire-Resistive Exposed Wood Members" is 80c for one copy or 50C each for 100 or more from National Forest Products Association. 1250 Connecticut Ave. NW., Washington, D.C. 20036.

Masonry Products

A catalog of masonry bits, hole saws and metal cutting fluids is free from The Relton Corp., by calling 1-800423-1505.

Kitchen Catalog Kit

A kitchen and bath literature kit ofover 20 separate product catalogs is $5 from Epic, P.O. Box 41136, Indianapolis, In., 46244 or l-800228-8995.

Closet Door Ref lectaons

A new 12-p. booklet on wardrobe mirror doors is free from Monarch Mirror Door Co.. Inc. P.O. Box 4118. Chatsworth. Ca. 91313.

Bits On Bark

A bark producers directory and product index is free from National Bark Producers Association, 13542 Union Villaee Circle. Clifton. Ya.22024.

This Way Up

A 24-p. catalog of ladders and related products is free from Patent Scaffolding Co., One Bridge Plaza, Fort Lee, N.J. 07024.

Stick To lt

A spray adhesive brochure is free from Rohm & Haas Co., Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, h. 19105.

AllOn Wallboard

A 20-p. d-i-y guide to wallboard is $2 from MPI, 105 N.W. l05th, Seanle, Wa. 98177.

Downhome Decoratives

A 4-p. bulletin ofcountry wood accented giftware is free from Smithwood, Inc., 67 Minot Ave.. Auburn. Me. M210.

Finished With Tools

A 36-p. catalog ofover 500 hand-crafted finishing tools is free from Kraft Tool Co., l90l Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo. 64108.

Truss Training

Information on a new truss training program is free from Engineered Tiuss Tiaining. PO. Box 727, Bryn Mawr. Pa. 92318.

Cooktops & Cookpots

"Cooktops and Cookpos: The Compatibility Story" a guide to choosing cooking utensils for electric cooktops, is free with self addressed, stamped envelope, from Jenn-Air Co., 3035 Shadeland, Indianapolis, ln. 46226.

A Place for Everything

A M-p.catalog of modular material handling and storage equipment is free from Jarke Corp., 6333 W. Howard St., Niles, Il. 60648.

Measuring Hardwood

"An Introduction to the Grading and Measurement of Hardwood Lumber" is available from the National Hardwood Lumber Association, P.O. Box 34518, Memphis, Tn. 38184.

For all New Literature offerings write directly to the name and address shown in each item. Please mention that you saw it in The Merchant Magozine. Many thanks!

Particleboard Pamphlet

A brochure on particleboard capabilities and products is free from Swain Industries, Inc., P.O. Box 306, Seymour, ln.47274.

Swing Sheet

A 6-p. light and heavy-duty swing door brochure is free from Kelley Co. Inc., P.O. Box 09993, Milwaukee, Wi. 53209.

Floor Doctor's Guide

"The Wood Floor Care Guide" is a l6-p. booklet available for 254 plus a stamped, selfaddressed No. l0 business envelope from the Oak Flooring Institute, 804 Sterick Building, Memphis, Tn. 38103..

Fastening Line

A catalog offastening tools and accessories is free from Bostitch, East Greenwich, R.I. 02818.

6Se Habla Espaiol?

Spanish language guides to pressure treated southern pine and proper lumber storage are free from Southern Forest Products Association, P.O. Box 52468, New Orleans, l-a.n152.

Insert A

A l2-p. self-tapping, self-locking inserts catalog is free from Groov-Pin Corp., ll25 Hendricks Causeway, Ridgefield, N.J. 07657.

Perfect Fittings

A 12-p. catalog of decorative faucets is $l from Chicago Faucet Co., 2100 S. Nuclear Dr., Des Plaines, n. 60018.

Sunroom Reading

A 128-p. book on sunspaces is $6.95 from Andersen Corp., Bayport, Mn. 55003.

NFPA Decoratlng New Offices

Like anyone moving into a new home, the National Forest Products Association is busy decorating its new headquarters at 1250 Connecticut Ave., NW., Washington. D.C.

After occupying space in the Forest Industries Building for 25 years, NFPA, the American Wood Council and the American Faper Institute have relocated because of the sale of the building to the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University for fi.3 million.

NFPA president David Stahl is anxious to make the new offices, which are about two block from the previous location, an attractive showcase for wood products. Weyerhaeuser, Horner Flooring Co., the Maple Floor Manufacturers Association, Plumly Flooring, the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, Eggers Industries, the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturing Association and Potlatch have all made gifu of materials to be used in decorating.

Al Goezl is coordinating the contributions which will be permanently recognized in the new offices. Wood products are still needed for accent walls in many offices.