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II 



the production of a conidial condition of the parasite developing 

 from the wounds in the wood. The general structure of the 

 mycelium, its mode of attacking the wood, and the conidial form 

 of its fruit, suggest the genus Polyporus, but beyond this it is 

 impossible to go. 



African Mahogany is well received in both the Liverpool and 

 London Markets. The chief source of supply is the Lagos District, 

 followed closely by Benin. Considerable quantities are also 

 shipped from the Gold Coast and the Ivory Coast ; that from the 

 Gold Coast is usually of the smallest average size, generally about 

 50 cubic feet per log, and the product of the Ivory Coast realises 

 the best prices, although record prices have been reached by logs 

 from the Niger Basin. 



Twenty years ago, when the West Indian and Central American 

 Wood was imported in quantity, the West African Wood was ill 

 received, but since the supply of the former has fallen away the 

 consumption of the West African has extensively increased. 

 During 1906, 21 million feet of West African Mahogany were 

 imported into Liverpool alone. A considerable quantity of this 

 was transhipped to the United States, where it is becoming a 

 favourite furniture wood. 



Lignum Vitae has been imported in great quantity mostly for 

 the machine makers, as many as 3,000 pieces recently arriving in 

 one week. 



At the time of my visit a complete cargo had just come to hand 

 of Japanese Oak and Ash, and was to be offered for public auction. 

 The Oak was in the form of sawn sleepers, but the manufacture 

 seems to be capable of some improvement ; notwithstanding this, 

 however, the wood was expected to be well received. It is milder 

 and softer than the American White Oak, with the colour and 

 working properties superior to the American Red Oak. The Ash 

 in the form of hewn logs is very similar in make to that which 



ket is accustomed to from New Orleans and Baltimore. It 

 appears to be of two varieties, one very clean and white and the 

 other brownish. The former is the harder of the two and appears 

 to be quite equal to the American second-growth Ash which is 

 used by Coach-builders and Agricultural Implement Makers. 

 The brown variety is too dark for the external work in furniture, 

 but being soft and easy to work, should prove useful for inside 

 linings, such as the sides and bottoms of drawers. 



A parcel of logs had also just come to hand of Lapacho Wood 

 from the Argentine Republic. There are two varieties of this 

 wood, ' Amarillo * from a yellow-flowered variety and 4 Colorado ' 

 from the variety bearing pink flowers. The 4 Amarillo' is hard 

 and dense and would find a good market here for the spokes of 

 heavy motor wagons, for which purpose it has been tried and 

 found to be entirely successful. It cannot, however, be imported 

 at a price to commend its general use ; it realizes, I am informed, 

 from is. 6r/. to 5s. tic/, per foot in Buenos Aires, at which price it 

 would be in competition here with more familiar hardwoods of a 

 similar nature and suitable for the same purposes. 



The Argentine has also imported a quantity of Quebracho 

 Colorado ; this in its own country is in great request for sleepers, 



ma 



