310 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
XXI. On the Preparation of Wood Specimens for Exhibition. By 
GrorGe CapELL, Langley House, Surbiton, Surrey. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Some little time since I was asked by the manager of the 
Kimberley and South African Exhibition, which is to be held 
in 1892-93, to draw up for the information of his executive com- 
mittee some suggestions for the effective display of their woods, 
with the view of their being sent on afterwards to the World’s Fair 
at Chicago. The idea of writing a short paper on the subject has 
thence emanated. While I am aware that it is somewhat of a rash 
adventure to put forward any suggestions, or, @ fortiori, to lay 
down any rules which may come under the notice of members of 
the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, who knew so well how 
to set off their exhibits to the best advantage, and to arrange them 
with the best taste, in 1884, yet I trust this rashness may be viewed 
with indulgence. For I may be permitted to remind them that 
neither in the pages of their own Z'ransactions, nor in The Timber 
Trades’ Journal, the organ of the British timber trade, is there, so 
far at least as I am aware, any code of directions laid down for 
those who are tyros in the art. The very temerity of my attempt, 
therefore, will find its best excuse in the evoking—if happily it 
may evoke criticism and correction, and in the framing by some 
competent authority—of whom the Society possesses within its 
ranks some well-known names—of rules and regulations for general 
guidance and adoption. For in these days when imperialism is so 
constantly brought under our notice, when its demands and aspira- 
tions have been focussed under one great centre, the Imperial 
Institute, we waut to know, and we shall expect it to teach us, 
what are the real resources of the empire, and whence any 
deficiencies known to exist within the bounds of our own islands 
may be satisfactorily and quickly supplied. 
I cannot think that, so far as woods are concerned, this information 
has been fairly, much less exhaustively, pushed, New woods have 
certainly been taken into favour, notably the padouk wood— 
Pterocarpus indicus—of the Andaman Islands, regarding which I 
read in the last annual circular of a well-known firm of timber 
importers as under :— 
“ Padouk.—The supplies have been 1°446 loads, and a good 
business has been done. The use of this wood is steadily extend- 
ing. Values range from 3s, to 3s. 9d. per cubic foot.” 
