TEAK. GREENHEART. 



(Tectona.} (Nectandra.) 



There are two Teaks ; the principal one ( Tectona grandis\ 

 a native of Asia, has been called the "Oak" of the Indian 

 forests, the other (Oldfieldia africana} is an African tree.* 

 The Greenheart (Nectandra rodiali} is of the laurel family and 

 grows in South America. The woods, although foreign, are of 

 such nature as to have widely established reputations, and each 

 has at some time been used in construction. 



Teak suggests oak, save that it is lighter and has a more 

 uniform structure. It is very durable, and an oily secretion 

 repels insects and preserves iron fastenings. During the 

 supremacy of wooden vessels it was regarded as one of the best 

 ship-building woods in existence. The grain fits it for carv- 

 ings, and it is now known in North America chiefly because 

 of this fact. Indian teak is the wood usually referred to. 



Greenheart was early placed among the first class of ship- 

 building woods by Lloyd's Register, and is yet taken to Europe 

 to some extent for dock- and ship-building and for implements, 

 but is seldom found and but little known in the United States. 

 It is strong, hard, durable, and extremely heavy, the latter 

 quality being so pronounced as to limit its field of usefulness. 



* It was long supposed that African teak was supplied by the species Swietenia 

 senegalensis. It is now known that the source is Oldfieldia africana, of the family 

 Euphorbiacese. It is not impossible that wood passing as teak may be derived 

 from yet other species. 



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