i8 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



the bark on have been regular!}^ imported from Trans3-lvania, and used 

 to supplement the supplies of home-grown ash for making billiard cues, 

 for which the Hungarian wood is specially suitable. Although it is almost 

 impossible to distinguish between the Hungarian and EngHsh grown timber 

 when first cut, it can generally be identified after long exposure to light 

 and air, as it then assvmies a greenish-yellow tint not unlike that of acacia 

 wood. 



The pores are verj^ numerous and irregular ; they are generally small, 

 and form a ripple pattern in the autumn wood. The medullary rays are 

 very fine and numerous. 



(d) South Russian and Turkish Ash. — This timber is nearly white, 

 but almost invariably contains a small black heart. It is difficult to 

 distinguish from the Enghsh wood, and is strong and tough. The use of 

 the timber has been restricted by the fact that it has been imported only 

 in sizes smaller than can be readily obtained from other sources. The 

 trees have been imported in the round \\ith the bark on, and ranging in 

 diameter from lo to 20 inches at the butt end and in length from 8 to 21 

 feet. The wood has proved to be of a fine, strong, elastic quality. 



Ash, Japanese. Fraxinus mandschnrica, Rupr, Weight, 34 lbs. 10 oz. 

 Japan, 

 During the last few years very large quantities of this fine and 

 exceedingly useful timber have been imported into London and Liverpool. 

 It is known in Japan by the name of " Tamo." The first shipments 

 arrived about 1908. Messrs. Mitsui & Co. imported by far the largest 

 quantities, although some shipments came from other sources. The 

 imports of this firm were as follows : 



1908 . . 13,181 cubic feet. 1913 



1909 . . 1,092 ,. „ 1914 



1910 . . ... ,, „ 1915 



1911 . . 387.434 .. '. I i^^i^ 

 1912 „ „ 1 1917 



cubic feet. 



22,829 

 12,525 

 53.170 

 62,940 



This gives a total of over 500,000 feet, or over 11,000 loads. 



The above figures are conclusive evidence of the popularity of this 

 timber. Sargent {Forest Flora of Japan, p. 52), sa5^s : " Fraxinus mand- 

 schiirica, which is common in Manchuria, SaghaUen, and Corea, is a noble 

 tree in Yezo, where it is exceedingly abundant . . . and where it often 

 rises to the height of one hundred feet, and forms tall, straight stems three 

 or four feet in diameter." The timber has been imported in square, hewn 

 logs, sawn planks, boards, etc., and selected figured flitches and roots, 

 with a small quantity also of prepared floorings. When first imported it 

 was mixed \\ith a quantity of timber sold as Japanese ash, but which was 

 soon discovered to be quite a different wood. This proved to be the 



