346 



CHAPTER XIII. 



LECUIVIINOS>E YIELDING WOOD FOR BUILDING, 

 CABINET-MAKING, ETC. 



There is a large demand in commerce for the wood of 

 the LegLiminos^e. The cjualities of some kinds are such as 

 to give them a considerable value. 



The wood of many of these plants possesses all the 

 requisite equalities : hardness, beauty of grain, variety of 

 colour, and agreeable odour, and consecjuently such woods 

 are in great demand for the manufacture of high-class 

 furniture. 



The hardness of some species is so great as to render 

 the working even of the sap-wood difficult. Others, on 

 account of their great dimensions, are well suited to con- 

 structive works on a large scale. 



Owing to their importance in both joinerv and cabinet- 

 making, the Leguminosas certainly merit the attention of the 

 planter. In order that he should reap the fullest benefit from 

 any undertaking he should be acquainted with the merits 

 of each species of wood. 



The method of estimating the value of woods is often 

 a vague one, and leaving on one side those woods which 

 are already familiar, it is difficult to see how to classify 

 the remainder. 



Woods are usually classed as soft, semi-hard, or hard, 

 but this method of classification is very difficult, and M. H. 

 Courtet, in his treatise on the woods of the Ivory Coast, 

 proposes to determine the density mathematically and to 

 discard the vague term of hardness. 



Very soft wood ... ... ... Density less than o"4 



Soft ,, ... ... ... ,, o'4 to 07 



Hard ,, ... ... ... ,, 07 ,, ro 



Very hard ,, ... ... ... ,, above i 



