June 10, 1917 



True and False Mahogany 



The Forest Service has published bulletin 474, written by C. D. Mell, 

 in which true mahogany is distinguished from the false. A list of all 

 commercial woods of the world that are called mahogany is given in 

 order to separate them from true mahogany which exists in only two 

 species, and these are closely related; one is Swietenia mahogani, the 

 other Swietenia macrophylla. This is a classification made by bota- 

 nists. The two species grow in America only, except that some plant- 

 ings have been made in other countries. Half the wood sold in the 

 markets as mahogany is not mahogany. It comes from many lands, 

 and is made up of many species. 



It is common practice to give mahogany a name to show the dis- 

 trict or region from which it conies, as Tabasco mahogany from the 

 Mexican state of that name; San Jago, from the place of that name 

 in Cuba; or such other place names 

 as Haiti, Honduras, Panama, Nas- 

 sau, Guatemala, Laguna, Corinto, 

 Colombia, and others. Baywood is a 

 name applied to mahogany from 

 Mexican lowlands. 



6eographic.\l Distributiox 



At one time mahogany was be- 

 lieved to be a native only of the 

 region extending ajjproximately from 

 the northern boundary of Costa Rica 

 northward to Tampico in Mexico. It 

 is now known, however, to extend 

 from the extreme southern point of 

 Florida to the West India Islands, 

 and along the Gulf coast in Mexico 

 from Tampico southward through 

 Central America and into South 

 America. Formerly it was very plen- 

 tiful on the Island of Trinidad and 

 about the coast of the mainland to 

 Venezuela. It is common in northeast- 

 ern Colombia and Venezuela. In gen- 

 eral, the small-leafed species {S^ciele- 

 nia mahagoni) is found in Florida, 

 the West Indies, Central and South 

 America, and elevated parts of Mex- 

 ico. It is common at elevations of 



from 3,000 to 4,000 feet, where it grows slowly but jjroduces wood of 

 the best quality. The commercial distribution of the large-leafed 

 species (Swietenia macrophylla) is not so well known, but it seems 

 10 be most abundant in British Honduras and along the coastal plains 

 of southern Mexico. 



From 100 to 150 years are required for a mahogany tree to reach 

 merchantable size. It grows both on high dry ground and in low 

 moist situations. It is on the latter sites, in Mexico and Central 

 America, that the largest timber is produced. 



Provisions are made in several Central and South American coun- 

 tries within the natural range of mahogany to insure continuance of 

 the supply by requiring those who have timber concessions to plant 

 two mahogany trees for every mature one cut. This, however, has 

 been found not only unprofitable, but unnecessary, since natural re- 

 production on cut-over lands is usually good. At least one large tim- 

 ber company operating in the Republic of Colombia has for over 20 

 years faithfully carried out the terms of its contract by replanting 

 cut-over areas, but the results are not encouraging. Planted trees 

 often grow very slowly in comparison with those resulting from nat- 

 ural seeding. It is probable that the cultivation of mahogany will 

 never attain commercial importance outside of the tree's original 

 habitat. 



The Wood of True Mahogany 



Mahogany is moderately strong and tough, quite uniform in struc- 



RAXGE OP M.\HOG.\XT SHOWN BY SH.iDED .\REAS 



ture, and may be either moderately open-grained or close-grained, 

 depending largely on the locality where grown. The wood seasons 

 with comparatively little warping and checking, and once seasoned 

 shrinks and swells very little. This property of holding its shape, 

 together with its handsome grain and figure, makes it one of the 

 most satisfactory cabinet woods. It takes a beautiful natural-wood 

 polish, is well adapted to stains, and has the particularly valuable 

 quality of taking glue well. Owing to the small size of the pith rays, 

 quarter-sawing adds little to its figure. The grain of high-grade 

 mahogany is oflen very odd and pronounced, and in this form it is 

 the most valuable cabinet wood known. For the most part it is cut 

 into very thin veneer by a special machine to avoid waste. Veneer of 

 great beauty is obtained from crotched pieces which are taken from the 



tops of trees where the limus join 

 the trunks. This form is known on 

 the market as ' ' crotch mahogany. ' ' 

 Woods from the same locality do 

 not all grade alike. Beauty of grain 

 is the basis on which mahogany is 

 graded, but size is also considered. 

 Florida mahogany is of darker color, 

 and harder and heavier, than any 

 other. When the lumber reaches 

 market it is graded without regard 

 to whether it is of the small-leaf or 

 the large-leaf species. Cuba ma- 

 hogany comes chiefly from smaU, 

 knotty, crooked trees grown on high 

 rocky uplands. These logs are used 

 for sliced veneer. Mahogany from 

 Venezuela is hard, hea\-y, and dark 

 brown, and that from San Salvador 

 is similar. 



Mexican mahogany is the most 

 variable in quality. Although a 

 good deal of the wood from the 

 higher elevations of Mexico super- 

 ficially resembles that from Cuba, 

 it is on the whole softer and lighter 

 in color, even resembling the wood 

 of the Spanish cedar so much used 

 for cigar boxes. The best Mexican 

 mahogany comes from the interior and higher portions of the state 

 of Tabasco, and in size, color, and hardness is superior to the best 

 product obtained in the lowlands farther south. 



Mahogany from British Honduras contrasts strongly in appear- 

 ance and in structure with that from other regions. Annual rings 

 of growth are often wanting, so that the wood has a nearly homo- 

 geneous structure. It is moderately soft and light in' weight, hut 

 in quality and color compares favorably with that from Venezuela. 

 True annual rings are not formed regularly in mahogany farther 

 south than British Honduras, owing to the fact that growth continues 

 practically throughout the year. Mahogany wood produced north of 

 British Honduras commonly shows in transverse sections more or less 

 distinct rings of annual growth. 



The quality and often the source of true mahogany may be deter- 

 mined by its minute structure. Woods which bear the name ma- 

 hogany, either with or without modifying terms, but which are not 

 true mahogany, grow in India, Ceylon, Andaman, Borneo, Africa, 

 Australia, Philippines, United States, Canada, Mexico, Central Amer- 

 ica, West Indies, and South America, and the species so designated 

 number at least fifty. 



The great popularity of period style turnings is making a nicely 

 enlarged business in dimension wood for cabinet work and also a 

 fairly good lall for special turning machines. 





