WOOD. 301 



fruit is oval and large. The wood found its way into 

 Europe at the end of the sixteenth century; about a hun- 

 dred years later it was in use over the world generally. 

 The wood is brown, when exposed becoming very dark. 

 The annual rings are very indistinct. The fine Medullary 

 Eays are visible to the naked eye. The wood is difficult to 

 split ; its specific gravity is .56-88. It is a valuable wood 

 for cabinet-making. 



286. The Cork-wood of Jamaica, Ochroma Lagopus, 

 belonging to the Mallow family (JMalvacem), has wood so 

 soft and elastic that it is used as a substitute for cork. 

 The trees attain a height of forty feet, and grow along 

 the coast on the West India Islands and Tropical America. 

 The fresh wood is whitish, but becomes somewhat reddish- 

 brown when exposed. The large ducts and narrow Medul- 

 lary Rays are visible to the naked eye. The wood is so soft 

 that it can readily be impressed with the finger-nail ; it 

 cuts like cork, and has a slightly silky lustre. The specific 

 gravity is equal to that of cork. 



287. Several species of Diospyros, of the Ebony family 

 (Ehenacea), especially D. Ebenum, furnish the valuable 

 wood called Ebony. The trees are large, but slow-grow- 

 ing ; the leaves are entire, coriaceous, and dark-colored ; 

 the flowers are axillary and dioecious. The heart-wood is 

 deep black in color, very hard, firm, and heavy (specific 

 gravity 1.18—1.24). In transverse section the rings of 

 annual growth are scarcely visible. Both the ducts and 

 Medullary Eays can be seen only with the aid of a lens. 

 The wood is used for knife-handles, piano-forte keys, fine 

 cabinet-work, inlaying, etc. 



288. The Teak-tree (Tectona grandis), belonging to 

 the Verbena family ( VerbenacecB), is indigenous in India. 



