53: Chestnut in southern Maryland, pp.
20-21.] In diffuse-porous woods, as has been stated, the vessels or pores are scattered throughout the ring instead of collected in the early wood.

The effect of rate of growth is, therefore, not the same as in the ring-porous woods, approaching more nearly the conditions in the conifers.

In general it may be stated that such woods of medium growth afford stronger material than when very rapidly or very slowly grown.

In many uses of wood, strength is not the main consideration.

If ease of working is prized, wood should be chosen with regard to its uniformity of texture and straightness of grain, which will in most cases occur when there is little contrast between the late wood of one season's growth and the early wood of the next.
HEARTWOOD AND SAPWOOD Examination of the end of a log of many species reveals a darker-colored inner portion--the _heartwood_, surrounded by a lighter-colored zone--the _sapwood_.