62 THE PRINCIPAL DSBS OF WOOD, 



7. Wood for lead-pencils. 



The manufacture of lead-pencils is an entirely new industry in 

 India, there being only a single factory at Poona. Wood for lead 

 pencils must be even-grained, without knots, and, while tough, 

 nevertheless easy to cut with a knife. 



Aetiole 10. "Wood toe taeious abticles weou&ht with adze 



and chisel. 



Such articles are the backs of brushes, saddle-trees, shoe-makers' 

 lasts, bowls and platters, spoons, moulds, rakes, clogs, toys, idols, 

 gun-stocks, &c. For all of them only wood that does not crack 

 or split or warp must be used. For the majority of them the 

 wood should also be hard and tough. Wood used in any kind of 

 saddlery must, in addition, be elastic. 



Aetiole 11. Wood foe TOENma and mottlding. 



For both these purposes even-grained wood that takes a good 

 polish is sought after. In most cases handsome colouring and 

 marking are desiderata. Ebony is perhaps the best wood we pos- 

 sess, but we have a host of other extremely valuable woods — satin 

 wood, blackwood, sissu, tun, teak, padouk, zebra wood (JPistachia), 

 Pterocarpus spp., box, sandal wood, &c. 



Aetiole 12. Wood toe engeaving and oaetins. 



For wood engraving we require wood that possesses a perfectly 

 uniform texture, is close-grained (so as not to absorb inks and 

 colours too freely), and is so hard and tough that the sharpest 

 edges that can be cut withstands the heavy pressure to which it is 

 subjected in the press. Box is pre-eminently the engraver's wood, 

 but for rough wood-cuts any sufficiently even grained and compact 

 wood will answer. 



For carving and ornamental relief work similar wood is required, 

 although the texture need not be so uniform and close or the grain 

 so hard and tough. For open carving the wood should possess 

 considerable transverse strength. Teak, on account of its durability 

 and colouring, is greatly prized for all kinds of carved work. 

 Sandal wood and ebony are used for fine ornamentation. Other 

 good woods are sissu, blackwood, walnut, satin wood, Adina cordi- 

 folia, Stephegyne parvifolia, Holarrheaa antidysenterica, Wrightia 

 spp., maples, and a great many other species. 



Aeticlb 13. Wood toe packing cases. 



The characters common to all woods used for packing cases are 

 that they should be easily worked, light, yet strong enough for the 



