TKUE MAHOGANY. 3 



mahogany and other woods called mahogany shipped into the United 

 States amounted to approximately $5,000,000. They may be divided 

 into two classes, according as they are used for (1) construction and 

 interior finish or (2) furniture and cabinet and other ornamental 

 work. To the first class (used also largely for office and bank 

 fixtures) belong some grades of true mahogany, chiefly from the 

 lowlands of Mexico and wanting figure and luster, and other " ma- 

 hogany" woods that have very little figure. The second group is 

 made up of the best grades of true mahogany and the more highly 

 figured and ornamental of the other " mahoganies." 



The present bulletin confines itself to a discussion of true 

 mahogany. 



COMMON NAMES. 



Besides its most common name, mahogany, the wood of the two 

 species of Sw : ietenia has received a number of other names either 

 locally or in the market. Some of these indicate the place or region 

 where the wood is cut, or the port from which it is shipped. Thus, 

 Tabasco, a State in Mexico, supplies the so-called Tabasco mahogany, 

 as distinguished, for example, from San Jago mahogany, which 

 comes from San Jago, Cuba. Similarly, mahogany from Jamaica, 

 Cispata, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Spanish America, 

 Colombia, 1 Mexico, Nassau, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Yucatan, West 

 Indies, South America, Belize, Trupillo, Guatemala, Porto Plata, 

 Laguna, Corinto, and Central America bears as a distinctive part 

 of its local or trade name that of the town, port, State, or region from 

 which the wood is derived. In reference to the excellence or in- 

 feriority of the wood from different regions, Santo Domingo ma- 

 hogany, for example, is considered the most desirable grade. This 

 comes mainly from slow-growing trees on high, dry ground and is 

 relatively hard compared with the soft, spongy " bay mahogany " 

 (Swietenia macrophylla) obtained from rapid-growing trees in the 

 moist soil of British Honduras and along the coast of southern 

 Mexico. " Baywood " is another trade name used for the wood from 

 the Mexican lowlands. 



The following additional trade, local, ard foreign names are also 

 applied to true mahogan} 7 : 



Caoba 2 or caobo ( Spanish name in Cuba, Mexico, Central and South 

 America ) . 



Mahagoniholz or acajouholz (German). 



Pao magno (Portuguese). 



Albero di acajou (Italian). 



Madeira or madeira wood (Florida and Bahamas). 



1 There is also a wood marketed under the name " Colombian mahogany " which is not 

 true mahogany. See Forest Service Circular 185, Colombian Mahogany. 



3 In Costa Rica, Caoba, a name probably of Indian origin, is applied also to Ouarea 

 eaoba C. D. C. and Carapa guianensis Aubl. 



