Wood formation and the concept of wood quality

Wood has been the principal product of trees from the first hunting club or digging tool of ancient man to the rich variety of industrial and decorative uses of modern civilization. The universal practical value and aesthetic appeal of wood may be traced to the seemingly infinite variation in its characteristics. These variations arise from the structure and arrangement of the individual cells, which vary not only among tree species but also within individual trees. The variability in these wood characteristics is what I shall refer to as wood quality.