All woods have certain characteristics that make them good for certain jobs. For example...
* Black locust is very resistant to decay, so it's good to use for fence posts.
* Some woods are especially beautiful, such as cherry and walnut, and are prized for furniture.
* Eastern redcedar has a smell that repels moths, and that's why chests for clothes are sometimes made of cedar. Red oak is a very hard wood, so it is frequently used for floors and stairs.
So, as you can see, if you weren't able to identify the trees and wood, you wouldn't be able to use the wood for its best possible uses!
With this in mind, let's take a look at some of the most widely used trees and woods!