156 TIMBER 



wood so that it is almost impossible to tell one variety from 

 the other. Honduras wood is of larger scantling than the 

 Cuba or St. Domingo variety, but is very rarely seen over 

 30 inches a side, 16 to 24 inches being about the average, 

 and 12 to 25 ft. long. It can be recognised by the black 

 specks or lines in the grain, in contrast to the white specks 

 of the Cuba wood. The logs are often of tapering widths, 

 slightly wany corners, and of a somewhat pale colour 

 when freshly cut ; the wood is of silky texture, but, although 

 not much troubled by heartshake, is distinctly inferior to 

 the old Spanish, being lighter and more spongy in grain, 

 though straighter and without much flower. The Belize 

 and Trujillo shipments are most appreciated. 



Mahogany is also now brought from Nicaragua, mostly in 

 round logs of mild texture and straight grain, from Costa 

 Rica and Grenada, and is known by these names in the 

 market, and a very good and much appreciated, finely- 

 textured, and good-coloured wood comes from Tobasco, in 

 the south of Mexico, which is generally jogged in the 

 manufacture ; occasionally a small quantity comes from 

 Panama, which is rather subject to worms, and often 

 damaged in transit, and from Guatemala, in which the 

 heartshakes are generally serious. It is not possible by 

 description to enable a person to distinguish one variety 

 from another, as this is very difficult, even for experts with 

 a long and close knowledge of the trade, and in small pieces 

 it is scarcely possible even for an expert to do so. Honduras 

 and West Indian wood have a much softer feel when rubbed 

 with the thumb than the African wood. 



All mahogany is of varying shades, from reddish brown 

 to dark red, and though some of the African wood is very 

 dark, some of it the Gaboon wood for instance is not 

 unlike the colour of teak. It is chiefly used for high-class 

 joinery, furniture, and veneers ; not difficult to work, it is 



