TIMBER WOODS. 75 



doors and windows, mouldings, and most of the ornamental parts 

 of buildings; it is also split into light, but durable shingles, 

 and wrought up into ordinary furniture. The side-roots or spurs, 

 springing from the trunk, are finely grained, and sometimes 

 richly knotted and variegated — so much so, in fact, as to furnish 

 beautiful slabs, hardly inferior in appearance to mahogany, and 

 w r hich are wrought into the most elegant furniture. It is par- 

 ticularly durable in water, and may be used in boat-building; 

 handsome and valuable canoes are also hollowed from the largest 

 specimens. Cedar thrives in the best soils, and is pretty abund- 

 ant throughout the island. Diameter, five to ten feet, and in 

 height perhaps the loftiest of our trees. 



Black and White Cyp (Cordia Gerascanthns, Jacq.), (Cordia 

 sulcata, De C). — The Cyp is not so light as the Cedar, nor is 

 it so variously employed ; it, is, however, extensively used for 

 rafters and flooring-boards, and is, with reason, regarded as one 

 of our best woods ; it generally grows in the mountainous 

 districts, and does not attain very large proportions. 



Laurier, or Laurel-Cyp (Oreodaphne strumosa, Griesb.). — 

 The Laurier-Cyp grows only in the mountain districts ; it does 

 not last in the ground, but may be sawn into boards and scant- 

 lings : it is light and very durable — in fact, quite equal to the 

 Cyp itself. Diameter, from two to three feet, lofty, and as 

 straight as a palm tree. 



Olivier (C/mncoa obovata) generally thrives in poor land, and 

 is plentiful between Arauca and Aripo, as also at Guapo and 

 Irois : it is not so valuable as the Laurier-Cyp, but can be used 

 for the same purposes — though rather heavy, and with a great 

 tendency to rive. The Olivier grows to a large size, but is then 

 invariably hollow : it is most available when of only twenty- 

 four to thirty-six inches in diameter. 



Couroucay or Incense-tree (Idea Heptajphylla, Aublet). — 

 Scarce, but valuable for building purposes, besides the gum or 

 gum-resin it contains in great abundance ; so are also the Bois- 

 tan or Surette (Byrsonima spicata, Rich.), and the Bois-sang or 

 Blood- wood ( Fismia) ; they never attain a very large size, but 

 may be used for rafters. 



Aguatapana (Rhopala Montana) . — An excellent timber, grow- 

 ing in the mountains, but never reaching a large bulk : it re- 

 sembles rose-wood, and might be turned to useful purposes by 



