TIMBERS AND HARD WOODS. 155 



forests of Mingrelia, in the Caucasian range, were almost 

 exhausted, and wood that had been rejected in old forests 

 was being eagerly cut, and purchased at high prices for ex- 

 port to England. The cutting of wood in. Abhasia and in 

 all the Government forests in the Caucasus was prohibited, 

 and about the same time a prohibition was issued by the 

 Porte against the cutting of boxwood at Trebizond. The 

 discovery of a wood that might be used as a substitute for 

 box is not a new matter ; for many years it has occupied 

 the attention of practical, as well as of scientific men, but 

 up to the present time no wood has been discovered that at 

 all equals box for engraving purposes ; so that while other 

 woods may be substituted for the various other uses to 

 which box was at one time largely put — namely, for shuttles, 

 turnery, carving, and ornamental uses — for the best engrav- 

 ings box alone is still in demand. In 1880 some consign- 

 ments of Indian boxwood were received in the London 

 market ; but the diflSculty and cost of transit from the 

 Himalayas, where the tree grows, operate against its be- 

 coming a regular article of export. 



The great increase of illustrated books and newspapei'S 

 continues to put a heavy pressure on the boxwood resources, 

 so that an efficient, if not a perfect, substitute is as much 

 a necessity as ever. 



The following are the names of the principal woods that 

 have been tried and reported upon by practical men during 

 the last few years : — 



1. Acer mccharinum. — StroAB, or Bird's Eye Maple. North America. 



Not favourably reported upon. 



2. Amelanchier canadensis. — American Shade or Service Tree. 



Might prove useful. 



3. Brya ebenus. — Oocus "Wood. Jamaica. Equals bad box. 



4. Bursaria spinosa. — Tasmanian Boxwood. Found in North, West, 



and South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and Tasmania. Equal to common or inferior box. 



