CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 67 



wood gets discoloured, so that to ensure white planking the trees should 

 be sawn up at once and the planks dried separately." 



This is one of the timbers mentioned in Mr. Gamble's list of woods 

 which are available in fairly large quantities, and are likely to be worth 

 trial. 



The pores are scarce, but very large and open. The medullary rays 

 are indistinguishable under the lens (12 x). 



Crabwood. Carapa guianensis, Aubl. Weight, 38-46 lbs. (Stone and 

 Freeman). British Guiana. 



This wood has only been imported in small quantities and in boards 

 and planks, although it would appear to be available in long logs up to 

 60 feet, and of wide squares up to 3 feet in cross-section. It is of a dull, 

 brownish-red mahogany colour, and assumes a glossy, lustrous surface 

 from the tool. It has a hard grain which, running in reverse directions, 

 tears up under the plane so that it is difficult to obtain a smooth surface. 

 As it is inclined to warp, and could only be used as a substitute for cheap 

 mahogany, which can generally be produced from elsewhere at a less 

 cost, it has little to recommend it for general use. 



It has sometimes been incorrectly termed South American mahogany. 

 A legitimate alternative name is carapa. 



The pores are small and irregular, and show bright specks of shining 

 gum. The medullary rays are fine, and parallel but irregular. 



Cupressus torulosa, Don. Weight, 38 lbs. India. 



The wood is of a pale salmon to yellow colour, with a straight smooth 

 grain ; it resembles pencil cedar {Juniperns virginiana) but is of a slightly 

 lighter shade. It has a strong and agreeable fragrant scent. As with 

 the timbers of other varieties of cypress, it appears to be very durable. 

 Gamble reporting it as even more " durable than deodar, as is shown by 

 the results of buried sleepers of the wood at Dehra Dun. These pieces 

 were put down in 1881 and taken out in 1892, and the Cypress wood 

 was found to have resisted best of all ... is frequently employed for 

 temples in the Himalaya, as well as for images and poles to carry the 

 sacred arks." 



The concentric layers are marked by a strong dark vein, which is 

 also conspicuous in the radial and tangential sections. The pores and 

 medullary rays are hardly discernible with the lens (12 x ). 



CuRUPAY. Piptadenia Cehil, Grisebach. Weight, 73 lbs. 13 oz. South 

 America. 



In 1894 a cargo of hewn square logs of good length and size was 

 imported into Liverpool from Rosario in the Argentine, The wood (»'^^« 



