250 



THE TIMBERS OE THE WORLD 



of wounds in the bark made by the Sambhar deer. I have noticed 

 that where the satinwood grows, the deer tend to rub their antlers more 

 on this tree than on almost any other, owing no doubt to the fact that the 

 bark is highly aromatic." Mr. Troup concludes by doubting whether 

 these are causes of the figury satinwood of commerce. 



The timber stands well, but its use is more adapted for veneering 

 than for soUd work. In India it has been used for many purposes, 

 including wharf piles, agricultural implements, brush-backs, carving 

 and turning, naves and felloes of wheels, and a great variety of different 

 work. The bridge at Peradeniya, near Kandy, m Ceylon, was con- 



5£-'m^""'£ - 



Pliolograph by G. R. Keen. 



East Indi-'in Satinwood. 



structed entirely of this wood. It contained a single arch of over 

 200 feet span, which has now been taken down. In England its uses have 

 been confined to brush- and mirror-backs, small and large cabuiets, and 

 furniture and panclUng. For brush-backs it is not comparable with the 

 West Indian, as the wood does not stand the continual washing. A 

 very handsome example of fine East Indian satinwood panelling can 

 be seen at L3'ons' Popular Restaurant, Piccadilly. In very many of the 

 fine examples of satinwood furniture, East Indian wood has been used for 

 finings and cross-banding, for which it is specially suitable. In some 

 cases where it has been introduced for entire panels or table-tops in old 

 furniture, the whole surface wiU be found to be one series of parallel 

 cracks. Certain specimens of the wood are, however, quite free from this 

 defect, and of late years it has become customary to use it more than 

 the West Indian. It varies in colour more than the last-named, being of 



