INTRODUCTION. XI 



sized ", " large ", " very large ", and " extremely large ". As examples 

 of these categories may be given 



Extremely small . . . Buxus sempervirens. 



Very small . . . Acer pictum. 



Small . . . Adina cordifolia. 



Moderate-sized . . . Bassia latifolia. 



Large . . Albizzia Lebbek. 



Very large . . . Erythrina subero&a. 



Extremely large . . Many climbers, 



7. Medullary rays. The classification of the medullary rays has been 

 made upon a similar plan, and they have been divided into tl extremely 

 fine", " very fine", " fine", " moderately broad", broad", " very broad", 

 and " extremely broad ", examples of which categories are- 

 Extremely fine . . . Euonymus lacerus. 



Very fine . . . Diospyros Melanoxylon. 



Fine . . . Albizzia Lebbek. 



Moderately broad . . Dillenia pentagyna. 



Broad . . . Platanus orientalis. 



Very broad . . . Quercus incana. 



Extremely broad . . /Samara robusta. 



In addition, the distance between the medullary rays is usually given 

 and is compared with the diameter of the pores. The medullary rays are 

 said to be distant when they are further apart than twice the diameter 

 of the pores, and in some species they are closer together than that 

 diameter, often bending round the pores which come between them. 



8. Other characters. The most noticeable of these are the presence or 

 absence of concentric bars across the rays; and of patches of white tissue 

 and the way they are disposed. These other characters are often 

 valuable accessaries in determining the genera, and even the family to 

 which a wood belongs. The woods of different species of ANONACE^: are 

 all characterised by regular ladder-like transverse bars, and so far as the 

 experience gained in the preparation of this work goes, the character 

 affords an unmistakeable sign for recognizing the trees of that order. 



In SAPOTACEJE again, the wavy concentric lines and the arrangement 

 of the pores in short wavy lines affords a character which is almost cer- 

 tain; and if any doubt could arise it would be between that order and 

 its neighbour the EBENACEJE, which, however, almost always differs in 

 having the wood of a white, grey or black colour, while that of 

 SAPOTACE.E is generally some shade of red. 



Concentric lines of soft texture occur in many families and genera. 

 They are very common in the LEGUMINOS^E, as may be seen from the 

 description of the seven groups which the woods of that family form, as 

 described at pages 115, 116. They occur also in Garcinia and Mesua 



