MEXICAN FORESTS AFFORD MANY VALUABLE WOODS 



REPORTING on commercial woods of the Mazatlan 

 district of Mexico, Frank C. Jordan, clerk in the 

 American consulate there, writes in part as fol- 

 lows: 



"Following is a list of twelve woods which are avail- 

 able in sufficiently large quantities for commercial pur- 

 poses, though the question of getting them to the 

 market is a serious one: 



"Palo Prieto. Found over all the southwestern p^t 

 of Mexico, is quite common in Sinaloa, but does nek. 

 here reach the enormous size of the trees in the ex- 

 treme southern part of the republic. Both sap and 

 heart wood are highly resistant to rot, and it is con- 

 sidered one of the best woods of Mexico. 



"Ebano (ebony). Found all along the coast of Mex- 

 ico, grows to a large size in Sinaloa, but the logs ace 

 not very straight. Logs of more than twelve inches 

 in diameter with perfectly sound hearts are very rare. 

 The excellent qualities of this wood when cut from 

 live, sound trees are known all over the world. 



"Amapa Negra, or Amapa Verde. Found all over 

 Mexico. In the state of Sinaloa the trees are rather 

 small in size, although plentiful. It is a very much bet- 

 ter wood than the Amapa Blanca, and is employed rather 

 extensively in shipbuilding. 



"Tepemezquite, or Meuto. Found all over the south- 

 western part of Mexico and is especially plentiful in 

 the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit (Tepic). Used ex- 

 tensively in shipbuilding, especially where heavy com-* 

 pressive stresses are encountered. Its worst charac- 

 teristic is a tendency to check badly when exposed to 

 the sun, the ends frequently opening up for a distance 

 of two or three feet and curling back on the log. 



"Truchas or Trucha. Found all over the Pacific 

 coast of Mexico. Grows well in Sinaloa, especially in 

 the southern part. This wood is used in shipbuilding 

 wherever heavy tensile stresses are encountered. 



"Palo Amargo or Cedro Blanco (Mexican white 

 cedar). Found all over the northwestern part of Mex- 

 ico. Grows to a fair size only and is not very straight. 

 The Mexicans consider this wood to be superior to 

 the best Douglas fir or yellow pine. It is used very sue- : 

 cessfully in naval construction where a light wood of 

 the approximate strength and resisting qualities of 

 Douglas fir is required. 



"Palo Margarita or Baritillo. Very often confused 

 with the Palo Fierro (ironwood). Found all over the 

 southwestern part of Mexico and quite common in Sin- 

 aloa. Considered one of the very hardest of the hard- 

 woods and used very extensively in shipbuilding, espe- 

 cially where heavy compressive stresses occur. 



"Haba. Very plentiful in the coast country of Sin- 

 aloa and Nayarit. Grows to a large size, fairly straight, 

 and is seldom hollow. Considered by Mexican ship- 

 builders to be the best native wood for naval construc- 

 tion. It is rather difficult to handle when green, as the 

 sap burns the skin upon contact and is very plentiful 

 just under the bark of the tree. 



"Guayacan (lignum-vitae). Very plentiful on the 

 west coast of Mexico from the state of Sonora to 

 Oaxaca. Grows to greater size and degree of hardness 

 in southern Sinaloa and Nayarit. Regarded as one of 

 the most reliable woods growing in Mexico and undoubt- 

 edly the best for certain parts of ships. When placed in 

 very dry places, however, it is liable to become brittle 

 and break under heavy shearing stresses. 



"Amapa Blanca. Found all over the republic of 

 Mexico; in the state of Sinaloa grows to a fairly large 

 size and is quite straight. While the Amapa Blanca 

 is not so durable and is more liable to decay than others 

 of the Mexican hardwoods, it is considered well adapted 

 to take its place among the most reliable materials in 

 shipbuilding. 



"Mora Amarillo (logwood). Found all over the west 

 coast of Mexico in great quantities, the most durable 

 kinds being from the state of Sinaloa and Nayarit. 

 Considered and proved to be one of the native woods 

 most highly resistant to the effects of salt water, damp 

 atmosphere, and rot induced by vegetable fungi. Its 

 qualities as a dyewood are too well known to require 

 comment. 



"Arellano or Palo Colorado (rosewood). One of the 

 softest of Mexican hardwoods. Undoubtedly has the 

 greatest resistance to decomposition induced by vege- 

 table fungi of any of the native woods. It is found 

 in Sinaloa, Nayarit, Colima, Jalisco, and Guerrero, and 

 it is considered by the natives to be well adapted to 

 constructions of all kinds where strength, durability 

 and reliability are essential." 



TN STRONG and characteristic fashion, the Southern 

 -* Pine Association pledged itself to the service of the 

 Government by adopting the following resolution at its 

 recent impressive meeting at New Orleans : 



"To accomplish our war aims, it is essential that the 

 nation administer in a very large way our industrial 

 efforts. To this end the War Industries Board was 

 created. Fully appreciating our responsibility, we offer 

 to the War Industries Board every resource of our indus- 

 try and pledge our unreserved co-operation." 



590 



SEVERAL years ago basket-willow cuttings were fur- 

 nished to a number of persons in District 6 of the 

 United States Forest Service to find out if there are 

 regions in the district specially adapted to the growing 

 of the species. Mr. Luther J. Campbell, of Walla Walla, 

 Washington, writes that he has been able to grow some 

 good basket-willow from the cuttings. He sent 150 

 pounds to a furniture company, at Portland, who found 

 it suitable for their use and requested him to take up 

 basket-willow growing on a larger scale. 



