The elastic coefficients for an arbitrary rectangular coordinate system are calculated as a function of direction cosines in the crystal. Young's modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio are defined in general and values tabulated for some of the more important directions in the crystal. Graphs of these moduli are also plotted as a function of crystal direction for orientations in the (100) and (110) planes as well as planes determined by the [110] direction and any perpendicular direction.

The potential for breeding Pinus radiata D. Don to improve wood stiffness (modulus of elasticity, MoE) was examined by obtaining pith-to-bark cores from trees at breast height in two independent genetic trials. The effectiveness of early selection for stiffness and indirect selection on the component traits, microfibril angle (MfA) and wood density, was determined as well as the age-related changes in the genetic variation of these traits. The first trial comprised 50 open-pollinated families in the central North Island, New Zealand. The second trial comprised 20 control-pollinated families in New South Wales, Australia. The genetic control of MfA, density, and MoE was found to be high in the corewood and moderate in the outerwood. Estimated genetic correlations suggested that early selection for most traits would be successful but could be carried out slightly earlier at the New Zealand site than at the Australian site. To maximize gain in the corewood, selection for MoE and MfA would be most effective around rings 4-8. There were no adverse correlations between MoE and MfA or density, implying that selection for MoE would also improve MfA and density.

The genus Larix is exceptional for its high content of extractives in the heartwood, with the dominating component arabinogalactan found abundantly in cell lumens of tracheids. On samples prepared from 100 European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) and hybrid larch (L. decidua × Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr.) trees, extractive contents and wood density were measured using X-ray densitometry. A strong relationship between the amount of hot water extractives and the loss of density owing to the extraction process was found. Prior to extraction, increasing extractive content went hand-in-hand with higher wood density. At the heartwood–sapwood boundary, the density level dropped. After acetone and hot water extraction, the drop was no longer visible. Without proper consideration of the extractives in larch growth sites, comparisons in wood quality studies looking at wood density differences may become faulty, breeding studies could lead to incorrect selection strategies, and tree-ring studies may not deliver the expected climatic signals. Hence, hot water extractions should take place prior to radiation exposure.

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is the most widely planted commercial tree species in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Because of the increasing use of this species for construction, the ability to predict wood stiffness is becoming more important. In this paper, a number of models are developed using data on cellulose abundance and orientation obtained from the SilviScan-3 system to predict the longitudinal modulus of elasticity (MOE) of small defect-free specimens. Longitudinal MOE was obtained from both bending tests and a sonic resonance technique. Overall, stronger relationships were found between the various measures of cellulose abundance and orientation and the dynamic MOE obtained from the sonic resonance measurements, rather than with the static MOE obtained from bending tests. There was only a moderate relationship between wood bulk density and dynamic MOE (R 2 s0.423), but this relationship was improved when density was divided by microfibril angle (R 2 s0.760). The best model for predicting both static and dynamic MOE involved the product of bulk density and the coefficient of variation in the azimuthal intensity profile (R 2 s0.725 and 0.862, respectively). The model parameters obtained for Sitka spruce differed from those obtained in earlier studies on Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus delegatensis, indicating that the model might require recalibration before it can be applied to different species.

Detailed radial measurements of wood properties, taken at breast height, were obtained from control pollinated seedlings and a selection of 13 year old radiata pine ( Pinus radiata D. Don) clones. Using these data the key objectives of this study were to determine (i) the magnitude of mean clonal variation in modulus of elasticity (MOE) and properties affecting MOE (density and microfibril angle (MFA)) and (ii) whether there is a significant age × clone interaction for these traits. All wood properties were significantly affected by the main and interactive effects of age and clone. There was a relatively linear increase in both MOE and density with tree age, while MFA declined linearly with tree age. Values of density and MOE diverged between the clonal extremes from age 3 to age 12. After diverging markedly up to age 6, differences in MFA between clonal extremes remained relatively constant to age 12. At age 12, values for density, MFA, and MOE varied between clonal extremes by, respectively, 194 kg·m–3 (465–659 kg·m–3), 11.3° (9.6–20.9°), and 11.2 GPa (10.4–21.6 GPa). The seedling material had a relatively intermediate ranking, across the age range, for all traits considered.