64 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



The medullary rays are fine, clearly marked, and parallel. "It is 

 very much the same as yacal, but may be distinguished from that wood 

 by the fact that the tangential section always shows distinct parallel 

 transverse lines (ripple marks) " (Foxworthy). The pores are numerous 

 and irregular, and are largely filled with a gummy substance which 

 shines brightly. 



Cinnamon. Source unknown. St. Vincent. 



A specimen of cinnamon wood, said to have come from St. Vincent, 

 is in my collection. It is of a heavy, dense, hard, close-grained texture, 

 taking a very smooth surface from the tool. It has a faint scent some- 

 what like that of cedar. The colour is a duU brown, resembling beef- 

 wood, and shading generally to a dark walnut tint. The wood would 

 be excellent for turning. 



Both pores and medullary rays are exceedingly fine and obscure. 



CocOBOLO. Source unknown. Weight, 85 lbs. 14 oz. Tropical 

 South and Central America (including Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa 

 Rica). 



The suppHes of this wood are imported in the form of short 

 cylindrical logs, half-flitches, and pieces of various shapes and sizes, 

 which are from i to 3 feet in length, gnarled and twisted, and include 

 knots, worm-holes, decayed heart, and other defective patches. The 

 striped heart-wood shows alternate bright orange and deep red bands, 

 the latter being often streaked with dark or even black veins. Its 

 rich, handsome appearance sometimes has the effect, both as regards 

 colour and marking, of tortoisesheU. It is hard and heavy, yields a 

 fine surface from the tool, and is especially suited for turnery. WTien 

 planed or turned, the smooth face is cold to the touch, like fine marble. 

 WTien well poHshed this is a brilliant wood, and is used for the backs of 

 brushes and hand glasses, handles of knives, forks, and tools, and in fancy 

 cabinet-work. Cocobolo-wood deserves much wider use, but is insuffi- 

 ciently known. Supplies of good quality are scarce, while the demand is 

 irregular. 



In transverse section indistinct layers are seen, and may or may 

 not represent annual rings. The pores are large, visible to the naked 

 eye, scattered and not numerous, and have glistening contents. The 

 extremely fine meduUary rays are invisible, but with the magnifying 

 glass stand out as light lines which are very numerous (being closer 

 together than the width of the large pores). Linking the rays at right 

 angles are very numerous similar fight, thin fines, so that the -field is 

 divided into countless minute squares. The tangential section shows 



