76 TRINIDAD. 



the cabinet-maker. It is called Beef-wood, on account of its 

 resemblance to a piece of salt beef. 



Gasparil (Esenbeckia). — Very tougb and lasting, and bearing 

 the closest resemblance to box-wood, but, like it, unfortunately of 

 small size ; when large enough, it is used for posts in house- 

 building. 



Yoke-savanne [Mimosa). — Very valuable to the wheelwright. 



Calabash [Crescentia Cujete). — Light and very tough ; excel- 

 lent in boat-building — particularly as ribs — and in the framework 

 of agricultural implements ; useful also to coachmakers. 



Tendre Acajou [Mimosa arborea). — A soft and yet very du- 

 rable wood, adapted to all building purposes. 



Moussara, or Bread-nut (Artocarpus incisa, var. Mucifera). — 

 Its seeds are eatable, much resembling the chestnut, when roasted ; 

 the wood is scarcely fit for furniture and building : it attains 

 large dimensions, and is pretty abundant. 



Galba (Calophyllum galaba, Jacq.) is one of our finest 

 forest trees, and when of large size is principally used for the 

 fabric of canoes ; though it may also be sawn into scantling, 

 boards, and planks, and is then applicable to all sorts of construc- 

 tions. It, however, contains a sort of gum-resin, which materi- 

 ally impedes the free action of the saw. When set in rows, the 

 Galba grows thick, and forms excellent hedge fences, which are 

 easily kept down by periodical prunings. 



Sand-box Tree (Hura crepitans). — The Sand-box tree matures 

 to proportions equal to those of the Ceyba and Cedar : it thrives 

 in the best soils, and near the sea-shore. This wood is only used, 

 as far as I am aware, for canoe-hulls, which are hollowed out 

 according to the dimensions of the trunk or block ; but, as it is 

 light and durable, it might also be rendered serviceable in other 

 respects. The Mora, Cedar, Galba, and Sand-box are possessed, 

 in all probability, of the qualities required in ship-building, and, 

 on this account alone, may be reckoned as very valuable. 



Manchoneel [Hippomane mancinilla) . — It is well known that 

 the Manchoneel-tree is a deadly poison : it would also appear t( 

 preserve its poisonous qualities for an indefinite period. I kno^ 

 of an instance in which a planter having found, lying on the beach, 

 a Manchoneel tree which, from all appearances, had been thei 

 for years, thought he should be able to make it of service in some 

 way or other; but he was soon obliged to desist. The Manchoneel 



