INTRODUCTION. 



Medicinal The young leaves are eaten boiled with sugar 

 in sore mouth, and the flowers prepared much in the same 

 way in dropsy. The green fruits are compounded into an 

 ointment and used for various skin eruptions. 



Wood. The timber which is hard but light is easily 

 worked, and is soon seasoned from being oily, it does not 

 shrink nor injure iron, and resists the attacks of white 

 ants and other insects on land, and the Laminora terelrans 

 or other Crustacea* when exposed to the action of the sea- 

 water. It weighs when seasoned about forty-seven pounds 

 the cubic foot. Of the different localities in which it grows, 

 Malabar Teak is considered the best and most valuable, 

 whilst the greatest quantity is obtained from Pegu, the 

 price varies from three to five rupees the cubic foot, and it 

 is the most useful, strong and valuable timber met with in 

 India ; occasionally specimens may be seen beautifully veined 

 and mottled. In about twenty-five years the stem attains a 

 diameter of two feet, but to attain maturity, it takes from 

 fifty to one hundred years, attaining an enormous size. 

 The Teak is found growing in the Southern and Western 

 parts of the peninsular of India, in Malabar, Cauara, Wy- 

 naad, Auamallies, Burmah, Sumatra, Java, Cutchea and 

 Sumatra, Upper Godavery and Central Provinces. 



