286 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
is the most important produce of the forests of South Tenasserim 
and the Mergui Archipelago.” Another writer (Kurz) says “ the 
wood is very light, yellowish white, coarse, fibrous, and scentless, 
but closely-grained and takes a pale brown polish,” and that “ the 
fragrant wood ‘ Ood’ is also largely used for making jewel-cases, 
and indeed precious stones are frequently set in it. It is also 
used for making ornaments and rosary beads.”’ It is stated to be 
worth about £30 per cwt. for 1st quality (Sumatran) ; £20, 2nd 
quality (Malaccan); and £2 10s., 3rd quality (Malaccan and Indian). 
It should melt like wax when fresh and emit an agreeable odour. 
It is used as incense. Reduced to powder, mixed with cedar 
dust and clay, it is manufactured into joss-sticks. 
CuinesE LIGN-ALOES. 
The finest Lign-aloes is produced by the Aloexylon, Loureiro * 
(Cynometra agallocha, Spreng. +). It is a native of Cochin-China, 
on the highest mountains, and of the Molucca Islands. 
The genus Aloexylon, described by Loureiro and said to include 
but this one species, is not very well known, and is rather doubt- 
fully referred to the natural order “ Leguminose.” Itis described 
as being of about 60 feet in height, with erect branches, and 
simple, alternate, lanceolate, stalked, entire leaves and terminal 
flowers. The legume is described as woody, smooth, faleate, and 1- 
seeded. The account given by Loureiro of the nature and production 
of Lign-aloes by this tree in the ‘Memorias de la Academia Real das 
Sciencias,’ 1. pp. 402-415, presents a striking similarity in many 
respects to the tree yielding Agar in the vicinity of Silhet, viz. :—. 
smoothness and fibrous texture of the bark (of which paper is 
made in both countries), shape, texture, and appearance of the 
leaves, in the want of odour and taste in every part of the tree 
except the part yielding the drug itself; in the wood bemg 
light, white, porous, ete. Loureiro’s description being considered 
incomplete or inconclusive, his genus was set aside by some 
writers of botanical text-books, as by Bentham and Hooker in 
their ‘Genera Plantarum.’ Roxburgh placed but little confidence 
in Loureiro’s description of the parts of fructification, as he 
* Flor. Cochinchinensis, p. 267 ; De C. Prodr. ii. p. 518. 
T Syst. ii. p. 327. 
