INDO-MALAYAN WOODS. 429 



22. SideroxgJun tomentosum Roxb. Coromandel. (See p. 542.) 



23. Sideroxylon ferrugineum Hook, et Am.)- Tropical Asia. (See p. 542.) 



24. Arang (Maba buxifolia Pers.). India to Philippines. (See p. 547.) 



25. Anan (Fagraea fragrans Eoxb.). (See p. 540.) 



Boulger 191; HoltzapfTel 88. 



LIGNUM-YITvE. 



True lignum-vitaa does not occur outside of the tropical American 

 region. It is the product of species of Guajacum and is of rather 

 restricted range. It was first introduced into Europe by the Spaniards 

 at about the end of the fifteenth century and has been very much in 

 demand ever since. It is exceedingly hard and heavy, lis specific 

 gravity varies between 1.17 and 1.39 and it is often credited with being 

 the heaviest of all known woods. The fibers are very twisted and, as a 

 consequence of this, it is extremely difficult to split the wood. It is 

 very much used for bowling-alley balls Bheaves of pulleys, rollers, police- 

 men's batons, and as bushing for propellers in salt water craft, It seems 

 likely that the supply will approach exhaustion before long, and it is 

 highly desirable that some satisfactory substitute be secured. 



Some of the woods which have been tried as possible substitutes 

 are mancono (Xanth ostein on verdugonianus Naves) of the Philippine 

 Islands; Dodonaea viscosa L., a widely distributed seacoast wood usually 

 of small size: Calophyllurn inophyllum L., another widely distributed 

 seacoast plant, which has a very twisted grain and which is sometimes 

 used for bowling balls. 



Mancono (Xanthostemon verdugonianus Naves), of the Philippine 

 Islands, is probably the best known and most thoroughly tested of the 

 substitutes for lignum-vitae. It is of much the same weight and is 

 harder than lignum-vitae. It is of crooked grain and difficult to split. 

 It seems to be immune to the attacks of termites and teredo. It lias 

 been tried in various places where it was subject to abrasion and to 

 droppings of water and oil and has proved very satisfactory. The 

 following test of mancono was made at the United States naval station, 

 Cavite, Philippine Islands: "The wood was installed on side grain, as a 

 bearing for journals rotating in salt water, in the stern bushing of a 

 small faunch which was in constant use. At the end of seven months the 

 bearing was split out for examination. The wood was found to be but 

 little worn, and was reported by the commander of the naval si at ion to 

 be 'quite the equal of lignum-vitae. when both are used for bearings on 



the side grain.' " 



It seems probable that, for several purposes, mancono is as service- 

 able as lignum-vitse and a very satisfactory substitute for that wood. 



Hutchinson W. I. A Philippine substitute for lignum-vitae. Bureau of 

 Forestry (Philip.) Bull. 9 (1908) 1-8; Stone 18-21; Wiesner 2: 950-952; 

 Holtiapffel 90; Boulger 202. 



