grain of timber

The Sailor's Word-Book

In a transverse section of a tree, two different grains are seen: those running in a circular manner are called the silver grain; the others radiate, and are called bastard grain.


♦ Grain is also a whirlwind not unfrequent in Normandy, mixed with rain, but seldom continues above a quarter of an hour. They may be foreseen, and while they last the sea is very turbulent; they may return several times in the same day, a dead calm succeeding.

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