CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD i6i 



MoLAVE. Vitex geniculata, Blanco ; V. littoralis. Dene. The Philippines. 



This wood is yellowish or straw-coloured, hard, heavy, strong, and close 

 in the grain, and possesses a figure or waviness that somewhat resembles 

 satinwood ; hence it may be found useful not only in building, but for 

 cabinet purposes. Molave timber appears to be of good quality, and has 

 the property of seasoning without much shrinkage or splitting ; it also 

 stands long exposure to the weather without showing any signs of 

 deterioration. In the Philippines it is considered very durable. 



Foxworthy says that for many purposes it seems to be fully the 

 equal of teak. Amongst its many uses he mentions house- and shipbuild- 

 ing, cabinet-making, doors, flooring, sleepers, and paving blocks. 



Mora. Dimorphandra Mora, Bth. and Hook. ; D. excelsa, Baill., or 

 Mora excelsa, Baill. Weight, 76 lbs. 14 oz. (fresh cut). British 

 and Dutch Guiana. 



Notwithstanding the fact that as early as 1875 Laslett gave a good 

 report of this wood it has never been seen in commerce to any extent, 

 though of late years it has had some popularity for use as sleepers. Stone 

 and Freeman give a very complete account in which they say that it is 

 more durable than teak. They mention three varieties : the red, the 

 white, and mora-bucquia ; this last, however, is not considered to be 

 durable. " Mora can be met with in logs 18 to 35 feet in length, 12 to 20 

 inches square " ; these are the same sizes reported by Laslett. 



Fourteen logs of this wood were received in London during the war, 

 having been diverted from Havre. They were imported from Surinam, and 

 were straight and clean and of good quality. The wood is a yellowish- 

 brown colour, and contains an oily and glutinous substance in its pores, 

 which is probably conducive to its durability. It is of close texture, and 

 has occasionally a twist or waviness in the fibre which imparts to the logs 

 possessing it a beautifully figured appearance, and incidentally adding 

 considerably to their value. 



The pores are conspicuous and numerous, and are generally in dupli- 

 cate or triphcate, more or less fiUed with gum. The medullary rays 

 are strongly defined, irregular, frequent, scarcely parallel, and show 

 clearly on the radial section. 



MoRRELL. Eucalyptus longicornis, F. v. M. Weight, 64 lbs. Western 

 Australia. 



" It is a strong, dense, hard wood, and has an interlocked grain. It 

 is of a dark brown colour and is used for wheelwrights' work, tool handles, 

 etc. It is also used for mining timber. . . . Transverse strength, 16,900 

 lbs. per square inch. Tensile strength, 18,000 lbs. per square inch " 

 (Lane-Poole). 



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