318 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
and sorted according to quality. In cutting down the trees, the 
earth is removed from about the root, so that the collectors may cut 
as low as possible. The billet taken from the trunk immediately 
above the root is called the “ root billet ” and is of superior quality, 
and by its comparative scarceness realizes the highest price. 
Concerning the sorting, Buchanan says* :-—“'The deeper the 
colour the higher the perfume, hence the merchants sometimes 
divide santal wood into red, yellow, and white; but these are 
only different shades of the same colour, and do not arise from 
any difference in species.” He distinctly implies that the three 
kinds are derived from the heart-wood. The following state- 
ment by Udoy Chand Dutt + is to the same effect, when writing 
of the white and yellow santal wood :—‘ These varieties are 
founded on the difference in depth of colour of the heart-wood.” 
From this it appears that the statement which has been made by 
some writers, that white santal wood is the sap-wood of S. album, 
is, at least, somewhat misleading. The sap-wood is nevertheless 
found in commerce, for Balfour describes it as “ coated with” 
thick, compact bark, has a grey and brownish epidermis, it is 
nearly inodorous and has a slightly bitter taste.’ Kirkby, who 
has studied the santal-woods, says{ :—‘ As the white is doubtless 
a lighter shade of the yellow, so is the red (apart from that 
obtained from Pterocarpus santalinus, which is truly red and 
inodorous) a deeper shade. The red kind was not recognized in 
Sanskrit medical works, the only kinds mentioned being S¢rik- 
handa or the white wood and Pitachandana the yellow wood.” 
The trees being now carefully protected by the Mysore 
Government, and only cut down when they reach maturity, it 
might not be thought that the wood much varied in quality, 
but it varies considerably ; the pieces which are straight and have 
the most heart-wood fetch the highest price. The chips and 
fragments removed in the process of trimming the billets and 
squaring the ends are also sold. 
It is very difficult to estimate the value of santal wood by 
reason of the very variable amount of oil contained in each billet, 
and parcels purchased by distillers often give a very disappointing 
* “A Journey from Madras through the countries of the Mysore, Canara, and 
Malabar,’ ii. p. 153. 
+ The Mat. Med. of the Hindus, 1877, p. 133, 
{ Pharm. Journ. [3] xvi. p. 858. 
