"B A R R Y" wrote in message
. net...
Leon wrote:
The lumber yards I go to have the limber that you described as scarce.


As does mine. Birch is very common, and also available in exotic
sub-varieties, like Flame Birch. One of my dealers also carries European
Steamed Beech.

Location is important.


Yes, but in a sense no one has yet mentioned. Trees compete in the forest.
Those that can't compete by outgrowing their fellows toward the light perish
in one generation. Supply is sporadic or nil. Desirability of certain
species like cherry makes harvesting the forest to encourage this fairly
shade-intolerant "fire tree" to grow economically viable, but probably not
popular with the "no clearcut" set. Not that fires are allowed, you
understand, but they do happen, and birdpoop gets cherry going pretty
rapidly among the airborne seeds of their fellow colonizers.

Climax forest has a limited number of species. Here it's beech, (yellow)
birch and maple in the deciduous varieties. Hemlock, pine and spruce occur
where the soil's poor, tamarack and cedar where it's wet. Next county over
it's red oak rather than beech. Stuff like bass, poplar and white birch are
abundant, but not worth the sawyer fees and cartage.

Local woods are available from local sawyers, not local lumber dealers.