Note: All items pictured on this website are in Frank W. Reiser's personal collection. Please contact if you wish to discuss exhibiting the collection at your institution or need additional information about the topic.
The Monumental American Woods
American Woods, Vol. I,
Transverse, Radial, and Tangential Sections
Romeyn Beck Hough, Lowville, New York, first edition, 1886.
Romeyn B. Hough’s Lifelong Quest: The Ambitious Legacy of American Woods
When Hough completed the first volume of American Woods in 1886, he estimated it would require 15 books to encompass all the tree species in North America. Having completed one volume, he knew that pursuing the project to completion would require a dedicated lifetime of effort. (The complete 14 volumes contain 1,056 slices representing 354 tree species.) Unfortunately, Hough died in 1924, after issuing the set’s thirteenth volume. The 14th and final volume of American Woods was completed four years posthumously by Hough’s daughter, Marjorie Galloway Hough, in 1928. Due to the hiatus in publishing, Volume 14 is the rarest of the books and is missing from most collections.
Romeyn B. Hough began work on American Woods in 1883. It is a 14-volume masterpiece showcasing 1,056 wood slices from 354 North American tree species. He completed and issued Volume I to wide acclaim in 1886. Each page features three slices taken from one species, cut lengthwise, crosswise, and tangentially, to reveal the unique grain patterns of each type. The portability works well for identifying the source of piled lumber or wood utilized in furniture, as well as for studying botanical structures under a microscope. Mounted on Bristol board, these slices can be removed from the book for close inspection.
Hough invented and patented a machine for cutting fresh wood into slices as thin as one-thousandth of an inch, the device and methodology that made American Woods possible. He began with New York trees, and his daughter, Marjorie, completed the final, Florida-focused Volume 14 in 1928, four years after his death. This monumental work features slices from now-endangered trees, making its preservation all the more vital. Exhibited are three volumes of American Woods, as well as Hough’s microscope slides, Magic Lantern photographic projection slides, real-wood stereopticon slides, business cards, postcards, and other books and journals on the topic.
Romeyn Beck Hough (1857-1924) was born into a well-educated family in New York and was significantly influenced by his father, Franklin B. Hough. Franklin was a respected physician who dedicated his life to botany, with a particular focus on trees and forestry. His writings and public speaking engagements garnered widespread attention, and he was praised for his ability to convey the importance of forests for America’s environmental and financial future. Franklin gained national recognition as a proponent of forestry, which led to his appointment as a Special Agent with the United States Department of Agriculture by Commissioner Frederick Watts. He was tasked with surveying, assessing, and reporting on the health and status of the country’s forests from coast to coast. His vision laid the groundwork for the establishment of the US Division of Forestry in 1881. For his role as the agency’s first chief, Franklin Hough is often referred to as the “Father of American Forestry.” (1)
Following closely in his father’s footsteps, Romeyn Hough studied medicine sufficiently to pass the New York qualification exam and earned a bachelor’s degree in botany from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Unlike his father, Franklyn, there is no mention of Romeyn practicing medicine professionally. After graduation, he set off to Europe and toured the continent’s forestry schools.
The European Spark: How Nördlinger Inspired Romeyn B. Hough’s American Woods
In Europe, countries such as Germany and France treasure their forests as national treasures. They established university forestry schools to train experts in the preservation and management of woodlands. Romeyn Hough, believing Europe to be ahead of the U.S., traveled to Europe after graduating from Cornell to visit these schools and study their methods. There, he met Hermann v Nördlinger, the renowned German forester and botanist who mentored him during his visit.
Romeyn’s Patent Application Reveals Some Secrets
In September 1884, Hough filed an ownership claim with the U. S. Patent Office to protect his methodology for making wood slices thin enough for light to shine through yet durable enough to be run through a printing press or written on by hand. The never-before-published critical information needed to duplicate the sectioning, most likely learned from Hermann Nordlinger, who never published his methodology, was that the wood being sectioned had to be cut fresh from the tree. Using green lumber is the key to obtaining slices as thin yet durable as Hough’s were. The process made thinly cut wood, termed a flitch, as thin as 1/1200 of an inch without cracking. This is much thinner than what is needed for making cards or the samples used in his book, but it is necessary for making top-quality microscope slides. Additionally, Hough’s instructions recommend that as soon as a flitch has been cut, it should be immediately sandwiched between two absorbent sheets of paper, placed in a press, and clamped flat until dry. The application further specifies uses for the thin wooden slips, such as business cards, postcards, or miniature paintings. The patent was awarded on February 2, 1886. Hough’s patent application is available at: https://patents.google.com/patent/US335703A/en
Hough states that using a large, heavy steel slicing blade is essential to dampen vibration that might occur during the cutting process, causing close-together ripple-like variations in slice thickness, referred to as “chatter.” The device differed little from a woodworker’s veneer knife or a scientist’s microtome, depending on its size. At the time, large-width, thin sheets of high-quality wood were glued over lower-quality timber to improve the appearance of inexpensive furniture, a process known as veneering. The shaving apparatus was called a veneer knife. It was made from cast iron, with a supporting base that weighed up to two tons. It securely held the movable cutting blade and clamped the prepared timber solidly. The blade was honed and polished, creating a razor-sharp leading edge. Before slicing could begin, the lumber was worked into a block-like cube called a “cant,” with dimensions that matched the sheet size of the intended material. The cutting face of this cube would present the grain of the lumber angled as to which of the three types of cut was desired – longitudinal (running with the grain), cross (running perpendicular to the grain), and transverse (quartered away from the perpendicular). So, a new cant would be needed for each grain direction that was required.
“One of the most sought-after sets of the twentieth century.” Antique Roadshow PBS
A thirteen-volume set of Hough’s American Woods was brought to the PBS Antiques Roadshow: Denver program for an on-air appraisal. (Denver 2010) During the show, rare book dealer Ken Sanders estimated the collection’s value to be between $35,000 and $45,000. The appraiser described Hough’s books as “one of the most sought-after sets of the twentieth century.” Before that, in 2002, a seven-volume set sold at a Christie’s auction for $26,000. Christie’s catalog states that only five complete fourteen-volume collections have been auctioned in the past thirty-five years. (Christie’s 2014)
The Library of Congress classifies Hough’s American Woods as being both a book and an artifact. The reason for the latter is that the wood samples contained in the volumes hold information that cannot be transmitted by language or photographic reproductions. According to the Library of Congress, the tangible wooden flitches in American Woods convey different information when examined using reflected light, transmitted light, polarized light, or examined under a microscope. Spectral, textural, and chemical analysis can also reveal information about the types of trees from real samples. None of that can be made available by examining photographs of the collections. Adding to the value of Hough’s American Woods is that some of the trees represented in its volumes are nearing extinction and, as such, are listed as red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. To replicate Romeyn’s methods, the lumber must be freshly cut from the trunk of a living tree.
American Woods Is Also a Time Capsule
It is hard to believe today that, to a casual observer, New York State was almost denuded of its forests during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tremendous amounts of lumber were cut for building the state’s towns and cities. Erosion washed away the topsoil from the now unprotected land, with silt ruining many of the state’s famous trout streams. Left behind were exposed glacial rocks. Today’s New York forests are the result of a massive reforestation program. Unfortunately, the species of trees replanted were limited to the sapling varieties available from the state’s nurseries. Romeyn, a native New Yorker, studied forestry in Europe, where forests were managed to be renewable. The lack of planning that had devastated his home state was a shocking comparison, so Romeyn now knew well how vulnerable forest resources were. He needed to start the American Woods collection project with the trees of New York.
It was well put by Jessa Feiler on her rare book blog that Volume One of American Woods serves as a time capsule, capturing forests that were already in the process of disappearing, with many tree varieties now endangered or lost altogether. (Feiler 2022)
Hough’s American Woods Celebrated as a Botanical Masterpiece at World Expositions
Romeyn Hough wrote that there are peculiar freaks sometimes in the growth of timber, and how and why these occur are interesting problems in the minds of vegetable physiologists, thus far unsolved as they probably must always remain. (During the nineteenth century, unusual natural occurrences were referred to as freaks of nature)
The “freaks” Romeyn is referring to are grain variations in a tree’s lumber that, although rare, are sought after for their unique beauty. Sugar maple is one of the tree species that is capable of unpredictably producing several uncommon forms. Romeyn was awarded space for three panels of wood slices in American Woods to preserve samples of Acer saccharum’s grain variations, as they are of interest to artisans who work with wood. He stated in the descriptive booklet included that he examined the trunks of a thousand maple trees before finding the example of the Blister variation included in American Woods.
The book provides information on the physical characteristics and habitats of each species on two facing pages. The species are organized taxonomically, with an identification key at the front that serves as a table of contents. This key is based on floral structures, although these structures are not illustrated in the text. Effectively using the key requires answering detailed questions about the tree’s floral parts.
A glossary of botanical terms is included to assist novice dendrologists, but the biggest challenge arises when trying to identify an unknown tree that is not in bloom, which is often the case. The scientific classification of tree families relies on floral structure, yet using a taxonomic key instead of a traditional table of contents limits the book’s usability. A key based on easily observable characteristics, such as whether leaves are opposite or alternate, would make the book more accessible to a broader audience. However, such an artificial key is considered unscientific because it does not take genetic lineage into account.
Hough’s photo-descriptive approach was innovative. For the author, it enabled them to quickly capture illustrations while working in the field and compile information for the book. Additionally, it also documents Romeyn’s claim that he personally identified and collected wood from the trees, as shown in his books. The art of botanical illustration was at its peak in the eighteenth century, with lush illustrations that depicted fine details gleaned from studying collected materials over multiple seasons. A tree’s intricate features, such as seeds, floral parts, thorns, and leaves, can be effectively depicted in a single drawing to best reveal their unique structure. Even today, identification guides serve readers best by using sketches instead of photographs, as evidenced by the continued popularity of guides like the Peterson Field Guides and the “How to Know” series, which rely on simple line drawings. The photo visual aids for identification likely made this work a valuable resource for botanists, foresters, and nature enthusiasts.
The title page of Hough’s Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada bears the ownership stamp of Dr. Lucien Howe.
Lucien Howe (1848-1928) was an ophthalmologist remembered for his activism in advocating for a Massachusetts law, eventually passed and named Howe’s Law, requiring silver nitrate drops to be applied to newborns’ eyes. This treatment has practically eliminated ophthalmia neonatorum (newborn conjunctivitis) as a cause of blindness in children. Howe was the founder and director of the Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He became the institution’s Donor-In-Chief and distinguished the laboratory as the first endowed ophthalmology research facility in the United States.
First edition of Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada by Romeyn B. Hough. This copy was originally owned by medical pioneer Lucien Howe. He donated his personal library to America’s first ophthalmology college in 1926. Howe is the founder of Howe Laboratory and a significant contributor to its funding.
As of 2025, the Howe Laboratory continues to advance multidisciplinary research through Harvard’s Centers of Excellence, focusing on age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and ocular regenerative medicine, while perpetuating and honoring Howe’s legacy. The American Ophthalmology Society’s prestigious award, the Lucien Howe Medal, is also in honor of the doctor.
Lucien Howe, also a microscopist, presented two papers at the 1891 annual meeting of the American Microscopical Society: “Floating Particles in the Eye: A Source of Error in Microscopic Observation” and “The Mechanical Stage Used as a Micrometer.“ The minutes from the meeting record that Mary Ann Booth and V. A. Latham were in attendance.
What Size Camera Did Romeyn Use?
Hough does not specify the type of camera he used, only stating that it was a high-quality one. Since lantern slides are created using contact printing, we can measure the image size on a lantern slide and, since it will be equal to that on the original negative, then compare it to the photogravure size in Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada When done with the lantern slide “Nyssa sylvatica,” the section of the tree trunk corresponding to the photogravure of the same species in the handbook can be measured and compared. The print in the book measures 140 mm in height and portrays much more of the tree than the lantern slide does. By measuring the point where the text visually aligns with the representation in the lantern slide, we find that this measurement is 95 mm. This indicates that the text print is magnified by a factor of 1.3. Correcting for the degree of enlargement reveals that the original negative was 4 x 5 inches, a standard size for sensitized dry plates at the turn of the century.
Romeyn B. Hough Made Lantern Slides For Large Screen Projection
Romeyn B. Hough also produced Lantern slides for projection. One collection was photographic, made from the negatives used for the illustrations in the Handbook. The other collection was made from thin sections of wood used in the creation of American Woods. Their purpose was as visual aids when addressing an audience. Group viewing of projection slides by those interested in forestry was of little interest to the general public, so few found their way into a library or general collections. Consequently, they rarely appear in contemporary markets.
In an article in Country Life, Romeyn talks about the most unusual tree he has ever come across. The crucifixion thorn tree, Canotia canibola, grows in the gravel bed of dry arroyos in Arizona. It is a tree without leaves, just a twisted trunk and thorns. Roymen attempted to locate a suitable section of the tree’s trunk from which to cut thin wood slices for American Woods. He eventually abandoned the quest and was not able to include sections of the unusual plant wood in his project. of including the species in his work. It is the closest description of how Romeyn worked that might explain why Nyssa sylvatica is missing from American Woods but present in his collection of lantern slides. (Hough 1902)
Prepared Microscope Slides of American Woods for Close Study
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Canada balsam, a natural resin extracted from the balsam fir (Abies balsamea), is used for its glass-like clarity and durability. With a refractive index (~1.54) nearly identical to glass, it creates optically transparent permanent mounts, preserving biological specimens for detailed examination under a microscope and easy storage. Unlike temporary mounts, such as those made with turpentine, glycerine, or water, Canada balsam encases the specimen between a glass slide and a thinner glass coverslip. After hardening, the sandwiched material creates a capsule that can protect delicate structures for centuries, provided the slide is stored correctly.
The process of mounting specimens in Canada balsam mirrors nature’s method of trapping insects in tree sap that fossilizes to become amber. While amber forms through geological processes, Canada balsam offers a controlled, artificial analog, allowing scientists to create permanent records of microscopic specimens. However, as an organic resin rich in terpenoids, Canada balsam remains vulnerable to oxidation, particularly at the coverslip’s edges, where the resin is thinnest, allowing chemical reactions that lead to yellowing over time. This discoloration, driven by oxygen and light, can obscure natural coloration and details.
To combat this, microscopists often “ring” the coverslip, applying a sealant like lacquer paint or paraffin to create an airtight barrier. This not only slows oxidation but also prevents moisture and microbes from infiltrating, which could otherwise foster fungal growth in poorly sealed slides. Canada balsam is naturally viscous, but solvents like turpentine, distilled from the resin of conifers such as white pine (Pinus strobus), can be used to thin the glue-like balsam for easier specimen manipulation. Turpentine dissolves in balsam effectively, but its higher volatility brings another challenge. As it evaporates, the hardening balsam may shrink, potentially forming cracks and detaching from the glass surface, which compromises the mount’s integrity.
Advertisement For Microscope Slides and Magic Lantern Slides. Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada, Back matter, Published by Hough, Romeyn Beck, Lowville, NY. 1907. Transverse, radial, and tangential are three possible planes of a tree trunk that can be cut. Hough included all three cut directions on his microscope slides of the types of wood. The advertisement mentions that some slides were stained with methylene green to improve viewing contrast.
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Apart from being able to work with original negatives, lantern slides, or Stereopticon slides, they are the finest quality photographic images of their time, earning high status among collectors of historical imagery. The reason is that they are contact prints created directly from original negatives by pressing an unexposed film’s emulsion side against the emulsion side of either the photographic glass plate or celluloid film negative. There is no intervening optics or space. As a reproduction, they retain the sharpness and resolution of the original negative. Additionally, now being a positive transparency, they will be viewed with transmitted light, which provides a wider contrast range than paper prints made from the original negatives, which must be viewed using reflected light.
Hough’s Photographic Lantern Slides
Hough’s Real Wood Lantern Slides
The chromolithographed cover of American Forestry Magazine, August 1916. Made from Romeyn B. Hough’s photographs of Mockernut Hickory. The center panel shows the tree’s spreading growth pattern when grown uncrowded, as in an open field. Side panels show close-ups of the unique features of its nuts and a compound leaf.
The magazine’s cover photographs are not from negatives used by Romeyn for the Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada. Later known as American Forests, the periodical was launched in 1875 by the American Forestry Association. The organization is a strong advocate for science-based forest management.
In 2002, Klaus Ulrich Leistikow and Holger Thüs realized that Hough’s American Woods could never be recreated. Accepting the shortcomings inherent in the photographic reproductions, the pair undertook the mission to reproduce the book photographically. With the permission and support of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, the pair worked with a complete fourteen-volume set in their collection. The book was published in 2007 as The Woodbook: The Complete Plates. The authors rearranged Hough’s order of plates in the original book. Hough grouped trees into volumes by geographical region, while Leistikow and Thüs organized the species alphabetically by family name. The book’s index includes the original plate numbers from American Woods in parentheses after the species name, but does not provide a way to search the book’s contents by Romeyn’s plate numeration—an unfortunate oversight.
Email: FWReiser@gmail.com
How to footnote this page: Reiser, Frank W. (2025). Romeyn Hough’s Botanical Masterpiece. In Searching an Invisible World: available at https://antiqueslides.net/romeyn-hough-american-woods/
Notes:
(1) Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946) shares the title with Franklyn Hough. Pinochot was 4th Chief of the Division of Forestry, 1898-1901; 1st Chief of the Bureau of Forestry, 1901-1905; and 1st Chief of the Forest Service, 1905-1910
(2) Carolus Linnaeus (1707 – 1778) used the floral structure as a key criterion for classifying plants, including trees, in his works *Systema Naturae* (1735) and *Species Plantarum* (1753). His sexual classification system grouped plants based on the number and arrangement of their reproductive organs, specifically stamens (male) and pistils (female). For trees, Linnaeus categorized them into classes based on the number of stamens (e.g., Monandria, Diandria) and further subdivided them into orders based on the number of pistils.
References
Leistikow, Klaus Ulrich and Holger Thüs. (2007). The Woodbook: The Complete Plates. Taschen GmbH, Cologne.
Feiler, Jessa. (2021). Romeyn Hough’s American Woods. Blog The Weird and the Wonderful, Bauman Rare Books. https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/blog/the-weird-and-the-wonderful-romeyn-houghs-american-woods
Hough, Romeyn Beck. (1893). American Woods, Published by the Author, Lowville, NY. Volume I.
Hough, Romeyn Beck. (1894). American Woods, Published by the Author, Lowville, NY. Volume IV.
Hough, Romeyn Beck. (1899). American Woods, Published by the Author, Lowville, NY. Volume VIII.
Hough, Romeyn B. (1902) A Tree Without Foliage. Country Life in America Vol. II No. 1
Hough, Romeyn Beck. (1907). Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada. Published by the Author, Lowville, NY.
Kopman, H. H. (1904) The Story of Trees, St. Louis Exposition, The World’s Work, Doubleday Page & Co., p. 5124