252 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



mostly, if not wholly, in West Indian satinwood. Adams, Sheraton, 

 and Hepplewhite have all stamped this wood with their art and their art 

 with this wood. The work has sometimes been varied by the use of band- 

 ings or linings and, in a few instances, with whole panels of other de- 

 corative woods. Satinwood and sabicu produce a happy combination of 

 colour which particularly suits this type of furniture. Probably even 

 these great artists never imagined that the colour of the wood that they 

 used would mature to such a lovely tint as that assumed by satinwood 

 after lOO or 150 years. This is a golden-yellow rose colour with a 

 bright, satiny sheen which cannot be obtained by any artificial means, or 

 equalled by any other wood. 



The logs range in size from about 7 inches to 24 inches in diameter, 

 and are generally manufactured in oblong pieces with nearly square 

 edges. Occasionally some are found even larger, but anything over 

 18 inches is now very rare. I have a beautifully figured piece composing 

 a table top, which measures 28^ inches wide by 4 feet long, and is all cut 

 on the quarter, entirely free from heart. This was probably from a log 

 grown all on one side, but which even then must have been fully 4 feet 

 in diameter and probably more. The plainer logs are used for such work 

 as sides, rails, styles, and mouldings, and for legs of cabinets ; while a 

 very small number of figured logs are also used for ornamental brush- and 

 mirror-backs. Nearly all the figured wood is converted into veneers for 

 highly decorative furniture and panelling. Such logs command very 

 high prices indeed, the record being about £18 per cubic foot for a squared 

 log, and £150 per ton for a root of Porto Rico wood. Of late years a 

 considerable number of roots of trees have been brought from Porto 

 Rico, most of which have been used for ornamental brush- and mirror- 

 backs ; a few% however, have pro\dded some magnificently figured 

 specimens of veneers, about 20 to 30 inches long, and ranging from about 

 8 inches in the narrower to 15 inches in the broader parts. These 

 irregularly shaped pieces, when matched up, form \evy handsome table 

 tops and panels. 



The colour of the Porto Rico wood is usually richer than that of 

 other varieties, although some of the logs imported from the unknown 

 source have equalled the best Porto Rico wood. Generally, however, 

 all other varieties are of a paler shade. The colour continues to deepen 

 and improve with exposure. There is a strong and pleasant scent in the 

 wood which resembles that of coconut-oil. Logs kept for a considerable 

 time are Uable to split with heavy side shakes, but when converted this 

 risk disappears, and in this respect the wood shows a marked superiority 

 over East Indian satinwood [Chloroxylon Swietenia). 



The medullary rays are strongly marked, and are uneven and irregular, 

 showing slightly on the radial section as in sycamore. They are joined 



