XXIV.] ANG^LIQUE. 28s 



The chief defect in this wood is heart-shake^ or 

 hoUowness at the centre, which extends far up the tree, 

 and this necessitates the cutting of the logs down the 

 middle longitudinally; often a middle piece is wasted 

 on this account, consequently we never see sound solid 

 square logs, or even plank, but generally half-round 

 flitches, 10 to 20 feet in length, and varying from 5 to 

 12 inches in the thicker part, put upon the market, 

 the inside or sawn surface being even then frequently 

 deficient of wood in the centre, exhibiting in part the 

 hollowness pertaining to the tree. 



Solid round Rosewood logs beyond the medium size, 

 or 14 inches in diameter, are extremely rare, and the 

 best that I have met with were brought from San 

 Francisco. Owing to the difficulty there is in measuring 

 half-round flitches of the nature and form herein 

 described, this wood can only be sold by weight. It 

 realises, for the inferior, ;!f 10 to ;^I2, and for the good, 

 ^20 to ;^30 per ton ; the superior qualities fetch much 

 higher prices. 



The following woods, the growth of French Guiana, 

 were selected under a commission appointed by the 

 Colonial Government of St. Laurent du Maroni. They 

 were imported into Havre only recently (1874). 



I. Angelique. This tree is of straight growth, and 

 yields timber 12 to 22 inches square, by 20 to 54 feet in 

 length, clear of branches. 



The wood is of a reddish-brown colour, clean and 

 even in the grain, moderately hard, tough, strong, elastic, 

 and not difficult to work, although it does not cleave 

 readily. Occasionally a few logs are found with a 

 waviness or figure in the grain, which would make them 

 valuable to the cabinet-maker. There is little sap-wood. 



The timber is very sound and free from knots, and. 



