70 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



wood. The medullary rays are invisible. Resin-ducts are lacking 

 (though resin does occur in the wood). 



Dalbergia cuUrata, Grah. Weight, 70 lbs. (Gamble). Burma. 



Gamble notes this as " A splendid wood, resembling ebony at a 

 distance but with a totally different structure. Kurz says it is used for 

 ploughs, bows, and the handles of spears. It has sometimes been used 

 for carving. . . . Wood black with dark purple streaJcs, very hard. 



" Pores moderate-sized, very scanty, in small patches of light tissue 

 with large cells, joined by somewhat wavy concentric narrow belts of 

 the same. These belts make a pretty grain on a tangential section. 

 Medullary rays very fine, very numerous, short." 



Dalbergia Oliveri, Gamble. Weight, 66 lbs. India. 



This very beautiful wood is unfortunately commercially unknown 

 in England. It is hard and close-grained : the colour is usually a salmon 

 to rose-red, though it is sometimes darker, and almost of as deep a tint 

 as rosewood. It is generally seen with more or less golden streaks, and 

 has a bright, lustrous surface. There is sometimes a small, stripey or 

 roey figure, resembling that of Ceylon satinwood. It would be difficult 

 to imagine a more handsome cabinet wood, especially for work in the 

 Empire or Sheraton styles. The wood stands perfectly well under all 

 conditions. 



The transverse section shows a pretty grain with hght and dark 

 wavy, ripple marks. The much scattered pores are scarce and rather 

 large. The medullary rays are prominent, parallel but uneven, and 

 crossed at right angles by similar white lines, which, with the rays, 

 give the appearance of a spider's web. 



Damson. Prunus domestica, Linn. Weight, 32 lbs. 9 oz. Europe. 



This little known, but beautiful EngUsh wood can be used for de- 

 corative work with very effective results, and compares quite favour- 

 ably with tuUp or kingwood for banding, marquetry, or general cabinet 

 work. It is capable of a very smooth surface from the tool. It is of a 

 bright yeUowish-red colour, streaked with bands of Ughter and darker 

 red, the general appearance being very similar to that of bleached or 

 faded tuUp wood. 



The pores, though numerous, are exceedingly small, with one or two 

 layers of slightly larger pores in the spring growth. The medullary rays, 

 which are parallel, are very strongly marked and of a greater thickness 

 than in most woods, they show very clearly on the radial section, as in 

 beech. 



