TIMBERS OF BRITISH GUIANA 125 



which has not altered materially in price for the last 

 twenty-five years. 



Mora (Dimorphandrd mora or inora excelsa), of which 

 there are three kinds, comes from the same neighbourhood 

 as greenheart and also from Trinidad. It has heen 

 referred to as a poor quality of greenheart, but there can 

 be no mistaking the two timbers, as mora is of a chestnut 

 brown colour, exceedingly hard, heavy, tough and close, 

 and generally straight in the grain ; it is much used in the 

 colony for boat-building and railway sleepers. 



Although classed with greenheart in Lloyd's List, it is 

 not such a good timber, but when free from sap it is very 

 durable both in and out of water. It is not much imported 

 into Great Britain, although long lengths can be obtained, 

 as it is the loftiest tree found in British Guiana, sometimes 

 attaining a height of nearly 200 ft. Makes excellent 

 sleepers, and to judge from samples it would probably make 

 good street paving. It has stood a crushing stress of 5'33 

 tons per square inch. 



Weight per cubic foot about 65 Ibs. 



Mora telegraph poles were inspected by Mr. C. C. F. 

 Monckton after being placed in dense tropical vegetation 

 for ten years and were found quite sound, but where young 

 sappy wood had been used the poles rotted in less than a 

 year (Jour, of Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., vol. 39). 



The Bullet Tree or Balata (Mimusops balata or M. ylobosa), 

 a tree of 120 ft. in height, produces a tough, durable timber 

 of dark red colour found in British Guiana and most of the 

 West India Islands. It is used for much the same pur- 

 poses as greenheart, saws easily, and takes a good polish. 

 It is also an excellent wood for turning, most durable when 

 free from sap, warps a good deal in seasoning, and cracks 



