CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 205 



docks, waiting for a demand from America, were used for saddle-trees, mine- 

 sweepers, mauls, and felloes for gun-carriage wheels. For these purposes 

 padauk is perhaps better than any other wood available. Very strong 

 and durable, hard and firm, it does not spUt, shrink, or expand with any 

 climatic change. Immense quantities of it have been used in America 

 for decorative panelling and furniture work. The greater part of the vast 

 Marshall Field store in Chicago is trimmed with it, while it forms the 

 panelling and furniture of many large public buildings, clubs, and private 

 houses. It provides the handsome cases for a great number of piano- 

 fortes and organs, but perhaps the largest consumers have been the 

 Pullman Car Company, who have used it for trimming dining and sleeping 

 cars. The dull kind of polish (not french polish) used in America, or 

 perhaps a flat coachbuilder's varnish, suits the appearance of this wood 

 much better than the usual sticky, heavy french polish used in England. 



Padauk has been called by one or two different names in America, 

 such as " vermilion wood " and " East Indian mahogany," probably to 

 obscure its origin. It is shipped from Port Blair in the Andamans, in 

 large hewn logs from 10 to about 24 feet long, and about 22 to 48 inches 

 square. The hearts are somewhat faulty, and do not generally carry 

 the bright-coloured wood ; the logs have sometimes a heavy wane. 



The pores are irregular in size and position, and are occasionally seen 

 in duphcate and triplicate. The medullary rays are very fine, rather 

 obscure and numerous, mostly parallel and joined at right angles by wide 

 irregular, light-coloured bands. The structure is very similar to that of 

 the padauk found on the West Coast of Africa. 



Padauk, Burma. Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Kurz. Weight, 53—59 lbs. 

 (Troup). Burma. 



In England this wood is commonly pronounced padook, the " au " 

 as " 00 " in " hook." The correct pronunciation is padawk, the " au " as 

 " ou " in " gout." This wood is the product of the true forest padauk 

 tree. " Trees are obtainable which will give clear pieces ranging in length 

 from 16 to 28 feet with a centre girth of from 6 feet to 8 feet 3 inches, 

 but larger logs are obtainable, although the difficulties of transport pre- 

 vent their extraction." 



The timber varies in colour from a bright yellowish-red to a dark 

 brick-red, and is sometimes streaked with brown ; its brilliancy of colour 

 is not, however, so marked as is that of the Andaman padauk. After 

 exposure to the air it bleaches to a duU yellowish-brown. It possesses 

 a hard, firm texture and, like the Andaman wood, its close, contrary grain 

 causes some difficulty in producing a smooth surface. It seasons well, 

 but in the early stages it should not be exposed to extremes of heat and 

 cold, or left unprotected from the wind, as this is likely to cause it to crack. 



