MR HIERN, ON EBENAC&E. 29 



ft 

 that produce it and is chiefly, found in older trees; the wood of the younger being often 



of a pale colour. 



Ebony, as the term is used in commerce, is a close-grained and nearly black wood 

 of high specific gravity, heavier than water, a cubic foot weighing from 1100 to 1330 oz., 

 is susceptible of a high polish, and is chiefly used for inlaying and fancy-work. The price 

 of the timber as imported into England varies from 8. 10*. to 9. 12s. 6d. per ton; from 

 700 to 1000 tons are annually imported. 



The wood is of an acrid pungent taste, and gives off an aromatic smell when burnt; 

 when dried at 100 G. it is said to contain 49 - 8 per cent, of carbon, 5 '3 of hydrogen and 

 44'9 of oxygen ; it is also said to contain ulmic acid (see Schacht, Der Baum, p. 198). 

 The strength of the wood is illustrated by the following experiment, but as it was tried 

 on a piece of inferior specific gravity the result is probably below the full strength of a 

 better class of ebony. A piece planed to one inch square and 24 inches long was sup- 

 ported at each end by two props, the clear distance from prop to prop being 20 inches ; 

 it was then found that a weight of 2 cwt. 3 qu. 20 Ibs. was required (when hung on the 

 middle) to break the piece. (See Transactions of the Society of Arts, Vol. XLVIII.) 



Sawdust of Ceylon ebony (? Diospyros Ebenum, L.) when treated with cold water pro- 

 duces in the latter a rich or reddish brown colour, and after boiling together for some time 

 no further change of colour results ; the sawdust retains its original very dark colour. 



Ebony is employed to make pianoforte keys, the stringholder in violins, spear-points, 

 &c. ; and the best kind of ebony is very valuable on account of its maintaining a perma- 

 nent shape and not warping, and is therefore used for rules and measures. 



Many hard woods such as box-wood, pear-tree wood, &c. are now artificially dyed black, 

 and are used in commerce as ebony. 

 The following species supply ebony : 



Diospyros Ebenum, Konig. India, &c. 



Diospyros rnelanoxylon, Roxb. India. 



Diospyros Dendo, Welw. Angola, West tropical Africa. 



Diospyros sylvatica, Roxb. India, &c. 



Diospyros Gardneri, Thw. Ceylon. 



Diospyros hirsuta, Linn. fil. Ceylon. 

 ' Diospyros discolor, Willd. Malaya, &c. 



Diospyros Embryopteris, Pers. India, &c. 

 r Diospyros Ebeuaster, Retz. Malaya, &c. 



Diospyros montana, Roxb. India, &c. 



Diospyros insignis, Thw. Ceylon and S. India. 



Diospyros Tupru, Buch.-Ham. India. 



Diospyros mespiliformis, Hochst. Tropical Africa. 



Diospyros truncata, Zoll. and Mor. Java. 



Diospyros tessellaria, Poir. Mauritius. 



Diospyros haplostylis, Boiv. Madagascar. 



Diospyros microrhombus. Madagascar. 



Diospyros ramiflora, Wall. N.E. India. 



Maba buxifolia, Pers. India, Madagascar, &c. 



