SANDALWOOD 



Rays. Just visible with lens, size 5-6, one size only : lack 

 contrast of colour : short, not avoiding the pores : firm : reddish : 

 about twice the width of a pore apart : denser than the ground : 

 numerous, 9-14 per mm. undulating : tapering rapidly. 



Rings. Apparently clear with the unaided eye but less so 

 with lens : a denser zone of later wood which may or may not be 

 poor in pores : the dark-coloured bands are sometimes excentric 

 and have nothing to do with the structure. 



Soft-tissue. Isolated cells only. 



Pith.? 



Radial Section. As dark or darker than the Transverse section, 

 and the blackish stripes are more prominent. Pores need lens, 

 fine striations, a few of which contain a rare drop of amber or 

 crimson resin. Rays minute, obscure, reddish lines (scarcely 

 flakes) almost needing microscope. Pigment-bands, prominent. 



Tangential Section. As the Radial, but the rays are minute, 

 red, spindle-shaped lines about o - i mm. or 6 cells deep, contain- 

 ing more red resin than the pores. 



Type specimens from Western Australia and authenticated 

 by the Forest Officer to the Government of that Colony. 



No. 167. SANDALWOOD. Santalum album. Linn. 



Plate XII. Fig 103. 



Natural Order. Santalacese. 



Source of Supply. Malay Archipelago : India. 



Alternative Names. For those in the Indian dialects see 

 Gamble. Weisse or Gelbes Santalholz (131). 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 56 to 71 lbs. 

 (37). Hardness Grade 6, compare Oak. Smell character- 

 istic, strong and lasting, not sickly. Taste spicy at first, 

 afterwards nauseous. Burns well with a powerful aroma and a 

 crackling flame : embers glow dully in still air. Solution colour- 

 less : the alcoholic solution is turned brownish by potash. 



Grain. Extremely fine and even. Surface bright. 



Bark. " Dark grey, nearly black, rough with short, vertical 

 cracks : inner substance dark red " (37). 



Uses, etc. Fancy-ware and incense. The dust is mixed with 

 the powdered bark of "Lignea Cassia" and swine's dung to make 

 the well-known Chinese Joss-sticks (in). It is exported from 

 India in the form " of billets, chips or dust, . . . used for making 

 the coffins of the wealthy Chinese and also for the distillation 

 of an essential oil " (37). The billets are usually from 3 J to 5 ft. 

 long by 3J to 10 inches wide. 



Authorities. Gamble (37), new ed. p. 584-5. Smith (in), 

 p. 365. Wiesner (131), p. 908. Kew Guide (57), p. 25. 



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