THE TIMBERS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



A REPORT UPON THE COLLECTION. 



1. NOT IDENTIFIED. 



Nat. Ord., LEGUMINOS.E. Native Name, " ARAMATA " (2). 



Salient Features. A greenish-brown wood of medium weight 

 and hardness. It has conspicuous concentric lines in Transverse 

 section. 



Physical Characters. Weight (so far recorded), 50J Ibs. per 

 cubic ft. Hardness, Grade 6, firm; compare Beech. Smell little, 

 if any, except perhaps when being worked. Taste slightly Cedar- 

 like. 



Colour. Heartwood darkens considerably on exposure to the 

 air. Sapwood the colour of Oatmeal, well defined from the Heart; 

 width, f-lj in. Surface dull, except in Radial section. 



Bark. About j% in. thick; light brown or yellowish, rather 

 smooth; fibrous within, becoming hard towards the outside, and 

 having a hard, light-coloured ( ? white) layer immediately beneath 

 the outer skin. Surface of the log beneath the Bark, smooth. 



Uses, Qualities, etc. " Readily procurable in lengths up to 

 30 ft. squaring 10-12 ins. " (2). ?< Boat-building, house-framing 

 and sometimes for cabinet work " (20). Not an ornamental wood. 

 Very hard to saw. Fissile, takes nails badly. Planes very badly 

 and moderately hard. Turns hard and badly. Polishes indiffer- 

 ently. Of little, if any, value for export. 



Authorities. 2. Bell, p. 3. 12. Hawtayne, p. 386. 17. Las- 

 lett, p. 452. 20. McTurk, p. 6. 



ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS. 



Transverse Section. Darker in shade than the Radial. 



Pores. Readily visible with the naked eye on account of the 

 conspicuous soft tissue accompanying them; large; not diminish- 

 ing towards the close of the season's growth ; little variation except 

 in the groups, where the middle pores are usually very much 

 smaller. Evenly distributed. Single or sub-divided in radial, 

 linear groups of from 2-6 pores. Few, 1-6 per sq. m/m. 



Rays. Just visible with the naked eye; very fine; uniform; 

 regular; about the width of a Pore apart; 6-9 per m/m. ; avoiding 

 the Pores little, if at all. 



