"Michael Faurot" wrote in message
...
This question pertains to what's available from North American wood
dealers. This may well be a naive question, but why is it that
there doesn't seem to be much available in terms of other North
American trees such as Elm, Sycamore, Willow, Birch (not counting
plywood), Beech, etc.?

Or to phrase the question a different way, why is Cherry, Walnut, Oak,
Poplar, Maple, etc. what's predominately available?

I guess you could ask why the grocery store does not carry fresh Kiwi, or
Dates, or Tangerines. Then you might say the store I go to has those
fruits. The lumber yards I go to have the limber that you described as
scarce.

What ever sells well is what is stocked at most lumber yards. If your
lumber yard does not sell what you are looking for you should look at other
lumber yards.