700 BOXWOOD AND ITS SUBSTITUTES. [Mar. 



suflQcient quantities to become an article of commerce." Of this 

 wood Mr. Scott says : " It is sufficiently good as regards the grain, 

 but the specimen sent for trial was much too small for practical 

 purposes." Mr. E. H. Keene, the engraver, says it " is nearly equal 

 to the best box." 



20. Diospi/ros virginiana, L. (the Persimmon of America). — A 

 good-sized tree, widely diffused, and common in some districts. The 

 wood is of a very dark colour, hard, and of a fairly close grain. It 

 has been used in America for engraving, but, so far as I am aware, 

 has not been tried in this country. It has, however, been lately 

 introduced for making shuttles. 



21. Diospyros cbenurn, Kcenig (Ebony). — A wood so well knov\-n 

 as to need no description. It has been tried for engraving by Mr. 

 Worthington Smith, who considers it nearly as good as box. 



Natural Order Apocynccc. 



22. Huntcria zeylanica, Gard. — A small tree, common in the 

 ■warmer parts of Ceylon. This is a very hard and compact wood, 

 and is used for engraving purposes in Ceylon, where it is said by 

 residents to come nearer to box than any other wood known. On 

 this wood Mr. Worthington Smith gave a very favourable opinion, 

 but it is doubtful whether it would ever be brought from Ceylon in 

 sufficient quantities to meet a demand. 



Natural Order Bignoniacca:. 



23. Tecoma peniapliylla, Dl. — A moderate-sized tree, native of 

 the West Indies and Brazil. The wood is compact, very fine, and 

 even grained, and much resembles box in general appearance. 

 Blocks for engraving have been prepared from it by Mr. E. J. Scott, 

 who reported as follows : — " It is the only likely successor to box 

 that I have yet seen, but it is not embraced as a deliverer should 

 be, but its time may not be far off." 



Natural Order Corylacew. 



24. Carpinus letuhis, L. (Hornbeam). — A tree from 20 to 70 feet 

 high, with a trunk sometimes 10 feet in girth, indigenous in the 

 southern counties of England. The wood is very tough, heavy, and 

 close grained. It is largely used in Prance for handles for agricul- 

 tural and mining implements, and of late years has been much used 

 in this country for lasts. The wood of large growth is apt to 

 become shaky, and it is consequently not used as a building wood. 

 It is said to have been used as a substitute for box in engraving, 

 but with what success does not appear. 



