﻿PHILIPPINE FIBERS. 



Table No. 1. — Tree species proposed. 



83 



Botanical name. 



Common 

 name. 



Specific 

 gravity. 



Weight 



per cubic 



foot. 



Ash. 



Remarks. 



Shorea contorta 



White lauan__ 



Cupang 



Mayapis 



Dita — . .. 



0.446 



.285 

 399 



Kilos." 

 12.56 

 8.03 

 11.24 

 12.72 

 16.36 



Per cent. 



0.89 



2.08 



.83 



.99 



1.12 



Moderately resinous. 

 Non-resinous. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Parkia roxburghii 



Anisoptera vidaliana 



Alstonia scholaris 

 Sandoricum vidalianum_ 



Santol .. ._. 









»1 kilo = 2.2 pounds. 



PHILIPPINE WOODS. 

 Latjan ( Shorea sp. ) . 



Structural qualities. — Lauan is a light and soft wood which takes a fair polish; 

 the pith rays are fine but distinct, in radial section they are very prominent as 

 horizontal lines or patches of a darker color than that of the surrounding wood; 

 this dark color is due to resin contained in the pith-ray cells. The vessels are 

 of medium size, often filled with gummy material; wood parenchyma is present, 

 but of irregular distribution. The resin canals are small and scattered, often 

 forming distinct, white, concrete lines. 



Appearance, color and grain. — Both heart-wood and sap-wood of lauan are of 

 a light-brown to whitish shade. The wood is straight, but of rather coarse grain. 



Uses. — Lauan wood is employed in light and temporary construction. It is 

 also used in cabinet making, in inferior furniture, and for small boats. 



Provinces leading in production. — Negros Occidental, Bulacan, Bataan, Leyte 

 and Zambales. 



Remarks. — This is the most widely distributed tree in the Philippine 

 forests. It is found in limited numbers in every type of lowland forest 

 excepting the swamps, and it is also present in the foothills. Lauan has 

 a tall and regular bole. The young trees are but slightly buttressed, but 

 the old ones often show this development to a great degree. Several 

 different kinds of wood are marketed under the name of lauan, the 

 classification being as red and white. The red lauans are undoubtedly 

 distinct in species from the true white lauan (Shorea contorta Vid.). 

 There are at least two white lauans found in the Provinces of Mindoro, 

 Bataan and Zambales, and another species (Shorea squamata F.-Vill.) 

 is obtained from Negros, this variety is also locally known as almon. The 

 tree designated as malaanonang (Shorea malaanonan Blume) and found 

 scattered through the forests of Eizal and Bulacan Provinces also greatly 

 resembles the poorer grades of lauan both in appearance and structure. 

 It is much lighter in color than any of the commercial red lauans, and 

 from its structure it should be considered as being useful for fiber 

 production in the same manner as is the true white Jauan. 



