[Carpenter Shih said of the enormous oak in the village of Crooked Shaft]: “It’s a worthless tree! Make boats out of it and they’d sink; make coffins and they’d rot in no time; make vessels and they’d break at once. Use it for doors and it would sweat sap like pine; use it for posts and the worms would eat them up. It’s not a timber tree—there’s nothing it can be used for. That’s how it got to be that old!” — Chuang Tzu (in Burton Watson translation, Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings)

“Black Spruce is one of the most widely distributed conifers in North America. Uses are similar to those of White Spruce; however, the small size limits lumber production.” –The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Western Region

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