1878.] D.'Brandis — JExhihition of Indian Woods. 87 



Nevertheless, 'even with only 33 per cent, of woody plants, the variety 

 of trees is very great, many are not yet known even to botanists, and it is 

 remarkable how small the number of trees is, the timber of which is an 

 article of trade in and beyond India, and of general consumption. The 

 number of these scarcely exceeds one hundred. 



The useful timbers of India may be arranged in three great classes. 

 The first class comprises those timbers which are durable, which season 

 well, which are strong and handsome, and yet are not too heavy or too 

 hard. To these belong Teak, Sisii, Blackwood, Deodar, Padouk, and 

 others. It will be readily understood that the woods of this class are the 

 most valuable. It is not likely that any important additions will be made 

 to the woods of this class. 



To the second class belong Sal, Siindri, Pynkadoe, Kusum, the Oaks, 

 and many others. These woods are mostl}^ durable, many of them are very 

 handsome, but they are all exceedingly hard and heavy, they are difficult 

 to work and their carriage is expensive. The number of the woods which 

 may be placed under this class is very large, and if there were a demand for 

 them, their number might be increased indefinitely, but there is no demand 

 and it is not^likely to spring up. 



The third class consists of light woods, which are not hard and are 

 easy to work. They are not as a rule durable, or strong, but many of 

 them are handsome and useful furniture woods. Toon {Cedrela Toond) 

 Gambhar ( Gmeldina arhorea)^ Mulberry, Walnut are representatives of this 

 class which is capable of indefinite extension. A Burmese wood, Thitka 

 {Pent ace hurmanica), now a regular article of trade, was unknown before 

 1860. A number of woods of this class have of late years come into 

 notice as useful for tea-boxes, and many valuable furniture woods may 

 be added to it. 



Besides these three chief classes, there are woods valuable for special 

 purposes, such as Sandal, Box-wood and Ebony. The Indian supply of 

 Box-wood is small, and much attention has been paid to the discovery of 

 a substitute. Some species of Gardenia, particularly Gardenia latifoliaj 

 may perhaps eventually take the place of Box-wood, but none has as yet 

 been taken up by the trade. 



Some remarks regarding the structure of timbers, closed the com- 

 munication. 



The President said that the Members of the Society present at the 

 Meeting were greatly indebted to Dr. Brandis for the opportunity he had 

 afforded them of seeing the superb collection of specimens illustrative of 

 the various kinds of wood obtained in Indian forests, and for the interest- 

 ing remarks they had just heard. Nothing could better illustrate the 



