176 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



cabinet-work, which is commonly called Gambia. As 

 its name imports, it comes from Africa. It is of a 

 beautiful colour, but does not retain it so long as 

 the Spanish and Honduras woods. One of the pe- 

 culiar excellences which is sought for by cabinet- 

 makers, consists in what they call the ciui — the direc- 

 tion which the darker parts take in the grain of the 

 wood. But the dealers, although they introduce an 

 auger before they buy a log, are seldom enabled to de- 

 termine, with much exactness, the quality of the tim- 

 ber. Although mahogany has been so long known in 

 commerce, there is little correspondence between 

 those who export the timber and those who purchase 

 it in this country ; and thus it is generally a matter 

 of chance whether the manufacturer may purchase a 

 fine or an inferior commodity. The logs which pro- 

 cured such a large price as Messrs. Broadwood gave 

 for them, were particularly celebrated, and were 

 brought to this country with a knowledge of their 

 worth. 



The wood most in use for cabinet-work, next to 

 mahogany, is Rose-wood. The name of this species 

 of wood is derived from its fragrance; and it has 

 long been known to the cabinet-makers of England 

 and France. It was first introduced, it is said, from 

 the isle of Cyprus ; though the great supply now 

 comes from Brazil. The width of the logs im- 

 ported into this country averages twentj-two inches, 

 so that it must be the ])roduce of a considerable tree. 

 The wood is too well known to requhe any descrip- 

 tion. The more distinct the darker parts are from 

 the purple-red, which forms the ground, the more is 

 the wood esteemed. It is ordinarily cut into veneers 

 of nine to an inch ; and is employed in this way for 

 all the larger furniture, such as tables ; but solid for 

 the legs of chairs, tables, and cabinets. 



King-wood is generally used for small cabinet- 



