298 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



railway waggon and truck construction. The chief mechanical engineer 

 in Western Australia, Mr. E. S. Hume, has reduced the maintenance of 

 his trucks from ;£3 7s. 6d. to los. per j^ear per truck by substituting for 

 steel, tuart and wandoo in under-carriages." 



Tulip-wood. Physocalymma scabenimum, Pohl. Weight, 64 lbs. 2 oz. 

 Brazil. 



This wood is imported in small, round, irregularly-shaped logs and 

 billets, ranging from 2 to perhaps 8 inches in diameter, and generally 

 of a very faulty character. The colour is a fresh red streaked mth deeper 

 red and light yellow stripes ; the growth is dense and hard. The wood 

 is Uable to spHt after being sawn. It is a very favourite wood in the 

 composition of French pieces of furniture, especially of the Empire period, 

 and it is still used to a certain extent for bandings and ornamental inlay 

 work. It is also used in turnerv'. " The wood, which is very wasteful and 

 splintery, is used for Tunbridge ware manufactures and brushes " 

 (Holtzapffel) . \\Tien exposed to strong light, the bright colour fades 

 almost completely away, but otherwise it remains rich and effective, 

 SuppUes grow more scarce every year. 



The annual layers are clearly marked. There is a scarcity of open 

 pores ; they consist of a ring of larger pores following the line of the 

 annual layer, with numberless minute pores in between largely fiUed 

 with a gmnmy substance. The meduUary rays are irregular, exceedingly 

 fine, and parallel. 



Tupelo. Nyssa sylvatica, Marsh, or A'', uniflora, Wang. Weight, 

 45 lbs. 7 oz. North America. 



Tupelo gum, or Bay poplar, is, when thoroughly seasoned, a very 

 valuable wood if used with judgment. It must not be emplo3'ed for 

 unfixed work such as tops, and the framework of doors and screens, as it 

 is liable to warp and twist. For panelling and fixed work, however, it 

 is ver}^ reHable, and when seasoned does not shrink or cause trouble. 

 It takes a particularly smooth surface from the tool, and shows very 

 sharp, good lines in such work as mouldings. The colour is a pale 

 whitish - yellow, while occasionally dark patches occur. It has been 

 largely used for electric Hght casings, mouldings, and general joinery 

 w^ork, and can be obtained in long lengths and wide widths free from 

 defect. 



The pores are very small, indistinct, and ill-defined, as also are the 

 medullary ra3'S. On the tangential surface the grain is very close and 

 smooth, and the pores are very minute and shine with tiny specks of 

 sparkling gum. 



