HARDWOOD RECORD 



21 



derived from a number of different species and sold under the same 

 trade name. 



The following species may be considered among the most important 

 trees in Cuba: 



Baria (Cordia gerascanthoides) is the name also of several other 

 species of the genus Cordia. In Mexico this name is applied to the 

 wood of santa maria (Calophylhtm inophyllum). The Cuban baria 

 attains a height of from srsty to eighty feet and from two to three 

 feet in diameter. It is found in nearly all 

 parts of the island and is said to be very 

 abundant throughout the central part. The 

 wood varies much in color, but the heart- 

 wood may be said to be dark brown and the 

 sapwood much lighter. It resembles our 

 slippery elm and is highly prized on account 

 of its strength, durability, and lightness. 

 The specific gravity of baria \aries from .60 

 to .78 and the wood is easily worked, takes 

 varnish well, and is susceptible of a good 

 polish. The wood is used extensively in 

 house building, carriage making, for rafters, 

 joists, axe-handles, and for interior finish of 

 houses. 



Caobilla (Croton hicidum) grows to be 

 about forty or fifty feet in height and over 

 a foot in diameter and is quite common 

 throughout the wooded portions of the 

 island. The heartwood is light red in color 

 and the sapwood considerably lighter, in- 

 clined to brown. It resembles mahogany 

 in general appearance, but it is inferior in 

 strength, durability, and toughness to true 

 mahogany. It weighs about fifty pounds 

 per cubic foot. Its principal uses are for 

 making furniture, weathe-boarding, and 

 framing. 



Cocullo (Bumelia nigra), also called 

 cocuyo, is a tree 

 found chiefly in 

 moist woods and 

 grows to the height 

 of fifty or sixty feet, 

 and from two to 

 three feet in diame- 

 ter. The heartwood 

 is yellowish white 

 :ind the narrow sap- 

 wood is nearly white. 

 [n the southern part 

 of the island it can 

 lie obtained in con- 

 siderable quantities. 

 The wood is strong, 

 hard, heavy (about 

 seventy pounds per 

 cubic foot), elastic, 

 and can be worked 

 with moderate ease. 

 It is used chiefly for 

 ;'art construction and 

 building and is said 

 to be very durable in 

 contact with the 

 soil 



DENSE JUNi: 



near the foot of the mountains. The wood is light yellowish, some- 

 what resembling boxwood, hard, heavy (about fifty-five pounds per 

 cubic foot), strong, tough, very durable, and works rather easily. It is 

 said to turn very well and is susceptible of good polish. On account 

 of its great strength and durability, it is used extensively for house 

 building and in general carpentry. It is highly esteemed for the wood- 

 work of plows, cart axles, spokes, and other parts of carriages and 

 wagons. It is used extensively for spars. 



Guayacancillo or lignum-vitse (Gvaiacwii 

 verticale and Guaiacum officinale) is pro- 

 duced by trees that sometimes attain a diam- 

 eter of from four to five feet and from 

 thirty to sixty feet in height. Gnaiacuvi 

 verticale is usually smaller than the 

 G. officinale, which is the true lignum-vitte. 

 and is quite abundant along the roads iu 

 southern Cuba and furnishes the main supply 

 of the so-called lignum-vitae of Cuba. 



The sapvrood is light yellow and the heart 

 wood dark brown, with a greenish tinge or 

 shade. It is one of the hardest woods known, 

 and is said to harden upon exposure to the 

 air. Lignum-vitEe is heavier than water and 

 has a higher modulus of rupture and coefiB 

 cient of elasticity than any other wood of 

 Cuba. In Cuba it is employed principally 

 for sheaves of pulley-blocks or water wheels. 

 Under water it lasts longer than iron, and is 

 usually employed for machine bearings where 

 its qualities of hardness and durability ren- 

 der it preferable to metals. In the Bahamas 

 and other parts of the West Indies this 

 wood is often used for hinges and fastenings 

 on account of the quick corrosion of iron. 

 It is also used for making rulers, skittle 

 balls, and many other articles of turnery. 

 Jucaro prieto (Bncido buceras) is the ucar 

 bianco or wild olive 

 tree ol Jamaica, and 

 is found in consider- 

 able quantities along 

 the southern coast of 

 the island. The 

 tree attains a height 

 of from sixty to 

 eighty feet and a 

 diameter of from 

 three to four feet. 

 The wood is dark 

 brown or nearly 

 black, resembling 

 black walnut. It is 

 very strong, tough, 

 and elastic. It is 

 hard, heavy (about 

 sixty-five pounds per 

 cubic foot) and is 

 very fine - grained, 

 taking a good polish, 

 producing a beauti- 

 ful effect. Jucaro is 

 employed largely in 

 naval construction, 

 wagon spokes, and 



WEST INDIAN 



A VERY COMMON VIEW IN CUBA 



THE ROYAL PALM AS AN ORNAMENTAL TREE. 



for all purposes which require great strength and durability. 



Ocuje macho (Caiophyllum calaba), variously known in other parts 

 of the West Indies as santa maria, palo maria, galba, galaba, crabwood, 

 aceite de maria, and chivo.ja, is an important timber tree in tropical 

 America. It develops a straight growth from fifty to one hundred feet 

 in height and sometimes five feet in diameter. It is said to be very 



Dagame (Calycophyllum candidissimum ) is the well-known wood 

 from which fishing rods are made. The tree, which attains a height 

 of from fifty to sixty feet, is said to be one of the most common 

 kinds, and large quantities of this wood are exported annually. The 

 trunks are usually straight and free from branches for more than one- 

 half the total height of the tree. This tree is found most abundantly 



