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TIMBEE 



the way the light is thrown upon it, showing light if seen 

 from one direction, and dark if viewed from another, as 

 can be easily observed by holding a piece of figured 

 mahogany under artificial light and looking at it from both 

 ends. The characteristic markings on mahogany are 

 " mottle," which is also often found in sycamore, and is 

 conspicuous on the backs of fiddles and violins, and is not 

 in itself valuable ; it runs the transverse way of the fibres and 



FIG. 54. Effects produced by grain of oak in panelling. 



is probably the effect of wind upon the tree. " Roe," which 

 is said to be caused by the contortion of the woody fibres, 

 and takes a wavy line parallel to them, is also found in the 

 hollow sides of bent stems and in the root structure, and 

 when combined with "mottle" is very valuable. "Dapple" 

 is an exaggerated form of mottle. " Thunder shake " or 

 " tornado shake " is a rupture of the fibres across the 

 grain, which in mahogany does not always break them ; 

 the tree swaying in the wind only strains its fibres, and 

 thus produces mottle in the wood. 



