THE TIMBERS OF COMMERCE 



Synonym. C. Geraschcanthus. Jacq. 



Sources of Supply. Tropical America and the West Indies, 

 chiefly Jamaica. 



Alternative Names. Spanish Elm (8). Dominica Rosewood : 

 Bois de Cypre: Bois de Roses. Bois de Rhodes (131). 

 Claraiba in Brazil (76). 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 42-45 Ibs. 

 per cu. ft. Hardness Grade 6 compare Beech. " Hath a 

 very sweet, pleasant smell almost like a rose " (8). Taste 

 none. Burns very well : heat expels a juice : embers glow un- 

 usually brightly in still air : much ash. Solution faint pinkish- 

 brown. 



Grain. Rather coarse and open : "a very veiny wood of 

 the grain of Elm " (8). Surface bright, but where the pores 

 occupy much of the surface the effect is dull. 



Bark.? 



Uses, etc. " One of the best timber woods of Jamaica " (8). 

 It is worthy of attention and would probably make a good 

 paving wood when creasoted. It is not exactly an ornamental 

 wood. 



Authorities. Barham (8). Wiesner (131), L. 6, p. 137. 

 Miers (76). 



Colour. Brown with dusky excentric zones, otherwise uni- 

 form. 



Anatomical Characters. Transverse section : 



Pores. Prominent from their size and masses, size 2 : slightly 

 more numerous and larger on the inner side of the ring ; a 

 loosely-waved, concentric arrangement visible with the unaided 

 eye but not when magnified : many 10-15 per sq. mm. : sub- 

 divided, many pairs and also some with the divisions radially 

 disposed : round when single. 



Rays. Prominent, size 3 : medium, uniform, equidistant, 

 the width of a large pore apart, not avoiding them : firm ; taper- 

 ing : brown : 4-5 per mm. : occasional " false rays," i.e., large, 

 conspicuous tails. 



Rings. Apparently well defined, may be superficially con- 

 fused with the dusky pigment-zones :" contour regular : some- 

 times only a boundary line of soft-tissue but chiefly indicated 

 by a smaller and rather more crowded zone or a loose pore- 

 ring of larger pores. 



Soft-tissue. Neatly encircling, and sometimes concentrically 

 connecting the pores : of the same colour as the rays : also 

 occasionally a fine boundary-like line. 



Pith. Round, hard, blackish, about I mm. diam. 



Radial Section. Slightly lighter in shade than the Transverse. 

 Pores, readily visible, dull grooves. Rays, inconspicuous but 



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