122 TIMBEE 



twisted. The butt end is tapered off, what is called 

 " sledged " or " sniped," for about 3 ft., a hole is bored a 

 few inches deep, and an iron bolt fixed in it (see Fig. 23), 

 by which means the logs are hauled by natives to the rivers, 

 then slung on each side of flat boats, as greenheart will not 

 float, and taken down to the shipping ports at Berbice, 

 Georgetown, and other places, possibly 150 miles distant 

 from where the trees were felled. There are sawmills at 

 these ports, and an effort is being made to develop a trade 

 in sawn greenheart logs, as well as in planks of 1^ inch 

 thickness and upwards ; the former look very nice about 

 12 inches square and quite straight, the ends banded with 

 iron hoops and painted to prevent their splitting ; they 



FIG. 23. 



cannot, however, be obtained in longer lengths than from 

 30 to 35 ft. 



One of the weak points of greenheart is its tendency to 

 split for two or three feet at the ends, hence the timber 

 should, if possible, be kept in water or mud until required 

 for use ; it is thus kept at the British Guiana ports until 

 withdrawn for shipment. Great care has to be exercised in 

 putting the timber through the sawmill or in cross cutting 

 it, as it is liable to " fly"; the safest plan is to slab the sides 

 before proceeding to convert it then there is not nearly 

 so much risk of the timber splitting and large timbers 

 should be kept under cover when being worked and dressed. 

 It is of great compressive and tensile strength, being one 

 of the strongest timbers known, and is placed next to teak 



