Captain Munro on the Timber Trees of Bengal. 87 



— Nat. Fam. Dipterocarpece. — I believe I am right in saying 

 that every tree belonging to this family is a valuable one, 

 most probably, from all containing a considerable quantity of 

 resinous juice, which is called in the various trees, Dammar, 

 Wood-Oil^ Gum Anime, Piney Varnish, Bal, Dhoona, &c. 

 These trees are all fine ones, and in the forests of Malabar 

 attain a stupendous height. In the Ghauts of Cong and the 

 Neelgherries one kind is generally known to Europeans as 

 the Buttress tree, and from growing within a short distance 

 of the sea, with water-carriage from the foot of the moun- 

 tains by the Calicut river, thus offers a supply of the most 

 valuable timber for some time to come. The Sal itself is pro- 

 bably the best timber in India. Of ten experiments of Captain 

 Baker, the mean weight required to break the wood was 

 1238 lb., and one specimen required 1304 lb. The tree is 

 found in great abundance in the Murung forests, and in the 

 whole belt of forest at the foot of the Himalayas, frequently 

 growing, as the Teak does, over a great extent of ground, 

 unaccompanied by any other tree. The Calcutta market is 

 abundantly supplied with the timber, principally, I believe, 

 from Gorrukpore. It is undoubtedly a very valuable wood 

 fof some buildings, and for many parts of gun carriages, and, 

 indeed, for almost all purposes on shore, where very strong, 

 tough wood is required. It is heavy, the specific gravity 

 being upwards of 1000, whilst Teak wood is about 720. The 

 Camphor tree of Sumatra is closely allied to the S^l. Two 

 species of Dipterocarpus^ of the same family, under the native 

 names of Mekai and Hoolung, are mentioned by Captain 

 Hannay and Mr Masters, as producing fine timber in Assam. 

 7. Toon — Cedrela toona, Roxb. — This, with the mahogany, 

 satinwood, Rohunna and Chittagong wood, all belong to the 

 same natural family, Gedrelacew^ affording very valuable tim- 

 ber. The Toon is a favourite wood with the carpenters of 

 India, and works out very prettily ; the tree has a wide 

 range in the Peninsula of India, and, generally, throughout 

 Nagpore, Bundlekund, and the lower ranges of the Hima- 

 layas. It is a very beautiful tree, and now adorns the sides 

 of roads in every part of Bengal, particularly at Bhaugul- 

 pore and Monghyr ; 800 lb. broke the specimen used in 



