CHAPTER XXIII. 



AFRICA. 



THE African Oak tree, the African Teak, or Mahogany 

 timber of commerce for it is known under a variety 

 of names is probably the Swietenia Senegalensis, or 

 6*. Khaya, the produce of which is brought from Sierra 

 Leone, and appears to form a link between the Oak of 

 Europe and America and the Teak of India, partaking 

 largely of the characteristics of both species. 



The tree is of straight growth, and the height, as 

 estimated from the logs imported, must be at least 30 to 

 40 feet clear of the branches, with a circumference of 

 from 7 to 8 feet. This wood is of a dark red colour, 

 very hard, strong, rigid, and difficult to work or cleave ; 

 it has a fine, close, straight grain, is of remarkable solidity, 

 has no injurious heart-shake, and shakes of the cup or 

 star kind are extremely rare in it ; the centre wood, 

 about the earlier concentric circles, is close and very 

 compact, differing less from the outer layers in texture 

 than in most other trees. In seasoning this timber 



