AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 87 



CANTON. 



Nearly all of the timber used in buildings is brought from Borneo, 

 and is a heavy, hard wood, something like teak; it is sawed here as 

 required. From the adjoining province of KuangSi, some soft wood is 

 brought for fuel, and some for beams, door and window casings, boxes, 

 etc. There are no trade statistics available as to the quantity imported. 

 Little or no American lumber reaches this market. The destructive 

 action of white ants upon all kinds of wood, and especially upon soft 

 wood, is awful, and is a serious feature in buildings. 



CHARLES SEYMOUR, 



Consul. 



CANTON, March 12, 1894. 



HONGKONG. 



NATIVE WOODS. 



There are no trees indigenous to the island of Hongkong. 

 Its present well- wooded condition is due entirely to artificial afforest- 

 tation. 



KINDS OF LUMBER USED. 



China fir, for flooring, door and window frames, rafters, and scaffold- 

 ing. There are forty- eight varieties of hard wood imported from the 

 Philippine Islands, viz: Acle, agajac, amogins, antipolo, annbing, api- 

 tion, aranga, baucal, bauaba, bausalagque, bauoyo, baticulin, batitiuan, 

 betis, calamansaseay, calimbajim, columpit, camagon, culasi, cedar, 

 dalinoe, daugay, dingeas, doliton, dougon, guijo, ipit, labuan, lanete, 

 macasin, manguchapuy, malar uj at, malasaguin, malatapay, molave, 

 narra, psena, palomaria, palma brava, palo maria de playa, taughili, 

 tindalo, tindu-pantay, tucan-calo, tuog, supa, uban, yacal. 



Of these Aranga, Molave, and Yacal are the only varieties in con- 

 stant demand for house, ship, and wharf building purposes. 



Molave is especially adapted for rudders, stem and stern posts, and 

 piles, being practically weatherproof and not attacked by worms. 



Aranga and Yacal are chiefly used for flooring, planking of wharves, 

 and the outside planking of ships. 



From Borneo are obtained Yacal, Kruen, and Serayat. 



Kruen is largely used for the sheathing and casing of electric wires 

 in houses. 



Serayat is consumed in large quantities by the manufacturer of so- 

 called " camphor- wood trunks." The grain resembles closely that of 

 the genuine camphor wood, and when the Serayat has been steeped 



