862 J A M A I C A. 



300, Shingles [/>]. 



Cedar, Broad Leaf, 



Mahooany, Fiddle Wood, 



Maftic, Bullet-tree, &;c. 



30 !. Thatch. 



Gre::t Reed Mace, Cocoa-nut Tree Lejf, 



Palmeto Leaf, Wild Cane, 



Thatch-tree, Sugar Cane, 



Macaw, Sour Grafs, 



302. Timber. Trees for Building, Sec. 



Barbjdoes Cedar, Black Olive, or Bark Tree, 



Broad-leafed Cherry, Ballard Green-heait, 



Baftard Bully Tree, Break Axe^y], 



Biftard Lignum \hx, * Bitter Wood, 



Brafilctto, Broad Leaf, 



Baftard jManchineel, Biack-heirt Fiddle Wood, ' 



Baftard Iron-wood, Baftard Cabbage, 



[/>] They mull be iS inches long, and ; broad. Siippofing the blocks ready hewn, two Ne- 

 groes iifually fpllt 500 /iT (iicm. The price 3/. to 3/. 10s, and 4/. fer mill, according to the qua- 

 lity of the wood. 



[y] This is one of the bcft and largeft timbers in the ifland. It is fo extremely hard, that it is 

 found a difficult matter to cut it down, and from this quality it takes its appellation. 



The general properties of the Jamaica timbers are thefe: heavinefs, fliort clofe grain, hardnefs, 

 firmnefs, fmoothnefs, folidify ; the wood often refinous, and its fibres fhort and brittle. Some few 

 are remarkable alio tor toughnefs and elallicity. 



The hardeft timber, and, if on the mountains, the loftieft, is fuch as grows in a moderately rocky 

 or ftony foil, having a great depth, and yielding eafy paflage to the tap-roots below. The timber 

 of the more arid parts of the country is almoft as hard as iron, though many of the trees are of ex- 

 ceedingly fmall diameter. 



In the North fide, Eaftern, and Weftern parts, the greater fupply of rain occafions a greater re- 

 dundancy of lap. The trees in thofe parts are larger and loftier, but their timber, in general, lefs 

 durable, and of many, lefs compaft, than thofe of the dry Southern dilbids. 



The grain of feveral old mahogany, cedar, and other timber trees, near the root, has often been 

 found impregnated with minute calcarious particles, which mull have been carried up with the fap 

 into the veliels of the trunk itfelf. Thefe particles are fometimes fo intimately incorporated with 

 the heart of the wood, as to give workmen an extraordinary trouble in working it up, by fpoiling 

 the edge of their planes, and other fine tools. If I milluke not, the like remark has been made 

 with relpect to grape vines in fomc countries, in the hearts ot which is fometimes difcovereil a con- 

 creted llony fubftance; and it is probably owing to this facility of abforption, that feveral wines, 

 particularly the more acclcent, are fo copioully charged with tartar. 



* Thofe which are marked with a * are only proper for infidc work. 



Cotton 



