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THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



" puriri is the strongest and most durable of the broad-leaved trees of 

 New Zealand." 



PuRPLEHEART. Peltogyne panicidata, Benth. Weight, 64 lbs. 2 oz. (fresh 

 undried sample) ; 66 lbs. 4 oz. (my dried sample, Demerara). British, 

 French, and Dutch Guiana, Brazil. 



This beautiful wood is not sufficiently appreciated in England. It is 

 of a dense, close texture, and after planing is very smooth to the touch ; 

 it is brown to salmon-red when cut, but after exposure to air and 

 light it rapidly becomes purple in colour. The Surinam produces 

 a more brilliant coluur than that from Dcm.crara. It is very strong 



The Beginning of the Forest !< 



and durable, and stands exceptionally well under difficult strains. On 

 this account it has been used by French motor-carriage builders for 

 the frames of window-sashes and like purposes. For this it is probably 

 better than any other wood, as it is not injured by damp or the continual 

 washing, while the fine, smooth grain assists the sliding up and down of 

 the windows. It is used for ramrods, marquetry, and inlay and lining 

 work, especially in French furniture, in which connection it bears a variety 

 of names, these including " amaranth e " and " palisandre." A sample 

 piece of this wood, labelled by this latter name, was sent to me for 

 identification, confusion having arisen by the fact that in France the 

 name " palisandre " usually indicates rosewood. 



The pores, which are rather small, are evenly distributed, and largely 



