74 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



the main trunk of the tree with the sap and faulty places cut away. 

 The following information was supphed by Mr. T. S. Leadam. 



Old Calabar. — ^This was a good black ebony of fine grain, and was 

 much in demand when obtainable, although almost always small in 

 diameter and very short, being about f inch in diameter and about 

 2\ feet long. It was well prepared, and trimmed always in biUets. 

 The average weight of each piece was about 15 kilos, a piece weighing 

 20 kilos being rare. It was used for pianoforte keys, and there was a 

 considerable demand for it in Sheffield for knife-handles. For some 

 reason, at present unknown, the import has entirely ceased, but it has 

 been said to be due to some local cause. Before the Old Calabar exports 

 entirely ceased the wood came in larger sizes, and this suggests that it 

 was coming from distant districts through the same port. 



Cameroon. — In the absence of Old Calabar this wood seems to take 

 the lead. It is generally of much larger sizes, often averaging from 25 

 to 30 pieces to the ton. The quality is good and the colour deep black. 



Gaboon. — This wood is a very deep black, and is usually reliable, 

 but the trimming and sorting has been conducted carelessly. At one 

 time it was customary in Liverpool for the selling brokers to sort the 

 parcels into three classes, which were called " flats," " biUets," and 

 " heavy." The "flat" grade consisted of all the faulty wood, and was 

 selected on account of its deep degree of blackness for use in cutlery 

 manufacture at Sheffield. The " billets " were the best wood of good 

 sizes without centres. The " heavy " consisted of the large solid pieces, 

 with or without centres, more solid than the "flat " but of any kind of 

 shape. There was at that time a good demand for each class. 



Ogowe. — This quality is the nearest approach to the Gaboon. 



Gaboon.— A considerable quantity has come from a French source 

 of supply. 



Cape Lopez. Weight, 78 lbs. 4 oz. — The quality of this variety is 

 very much like that of Ogowe but has the reputation of containing a 

 greater supply of greyish colour. The pores are very variable in size, 

 and are generally filled with a white gum. The medullary rays are 

 very obscure and hardly discenable with a lens. There is a very faint, 

 rather agreeable aromatic scent. 



BuRUTU. — This is a coarse ebony, like an inferior quality of Macassar, 

 somewhat long and irregular in shape, and it is very little in demand. 



Niger. — A term generally used in America to cover aU of the above 

 imports except Burutu. There is, however, one quality known as "Niger" 

 which, though generally good in colour, has a tendency to be streaked 

 with grey. 



