246 THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 



Sandalwood. Santalum album, Linn. Weight, 55 lbs. India. 

 S. cygnorum, Miq. Western Australia. 



The wood is of a dull yellow colour, which, exposed to light and air, 

 darkens almost to brown. It has a very close, firm texture, and has a 

 sticky feeling to the touch. The fragrant and aromatic persistent scent 

 is well known, being famiUar in the small ornamental fancy-work 

 which has for a long time been imported from India. Troup says that 

 this is " the most valuable wood in India, which grows as a parasite 

 on the roots of other plants. [It is] commonest in the native State of 

 Mysore. Thevalueliesin the scented oil contained in the heart-wood. . . . 

 There is a considerable industry in the distillation of sandalwood oil 

 from raspings of the heart-wood." He adds that it is a beautiful wood 

 for ornamental turnery. 



In Australia the extraction of sandalwood is very largely carried on. 

 At present the wood is chiefly obtained from the roots of trees which, 

 many years ago, were destroyed by forest fires. The Honble. J. D. 

 Connolly, now Agent-General for Western Australia, wrote in 191 1 : 

 " The export of sandalwood to the Far East, where it is used for carving 

 images and for ornamental work, has long been a substantial industry, 

 and in the early days the sandalwood getter was the pioneer of civilisation 

 in many districts." DeaUng with the year 1910-11, he adds that sandal- 

 wood of a value of £69,141 was exported. 



The pores are exceedingly smaU and very numerous. The medullary 

 rays also are very fine, and both pores and medullary rays are difficult 

 to distinguish even with the lens (12 x). 



Sandan. Ougeiniadalbergioides, Bentii. Weight, 55 lbs. (Troup). India. 



The wood is grey-brown and is often mottled. It is of a hard, close 

 texture and smooth grain, and takes a good pohsh. It is durable and 

 tough. Gamble says : " This very pretty and useful tree is a valuable 

 one in India. ... It makes excellent furniture. Roxburgh mentions 

 that the pillars of Maharaja Sindhia's palace at Oujein are made of it." 



The pores are very regular, and form a pretty pattern. The medullary 

 rays are exceedingly fine, well defined, very numerous, parallel and 

 equidistant. 



Santa Maria. Calophyllum Caldba, Jacq. Weight, 53 lbs. Central 

 America. 



This wood is a pale reddish colour. It is moderately hard and has a 

 fine, straight grain ; it is somewhat porous. It is generally free from 

 injurious heart- or star-shakes, has few knots, does not shrink much, and 

 scarcely splits at all in seasoning. It is easily worked, and may there- 

 fore be considered a very fair substitute for the plainest Honduras or 



