AMERICAN WOODS. 335 



exhibited any signs of wear. The Sabicu or Sabicue wood 

 is extremely hard and tough ; it has a dull red colour, and 

 close short grain. It is imported from Cuba. 



Cedar (Jamaica and Honduras). Cedrela odorata (Nat. 

 Ord. Cedrelacece) . (Plate XX. fig. 104.) — This cedar is im- 

 ported in large logs often three or four feet square ; it is 

 soft and red, resembling the pencil cedar. Its use is for 

 making the inside portions of furniture. 



Mahogany. Swietenia Mahagoni (Nat. Ord. Cedrela- 

 cece). (Plate XX. fig. 102.) — This wood is too well known 

 to need description ; but few, who have it constantly before 

 their eyes in some form of domestic furniture, reflect upon 

 the difficulties and dangers of those who are engaged in 

 supplying this favourite wood to the European markets. 

 The mahogany grows in dense forests, where it forms one 

 of the most lofty and gigantic of tropical trees. The ma- 

 hogany-seeker has to mount to the top of some high tree of 

 the forest, whence he surveys the sea of verdure around 

 him, and easily detects the trees he looks for by their mag- 

 nificent dimensions; he then, with a small pocket-compass, 

 which is his most valued friend, takes the bearings of those 

 which he sees, and having descended, proceeds from his 

 place of observation in search of them, marking the various 



