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30.— SANDALWOOD (Santalum cygnorum). 



A small tree attaining' a height of 12 to 16 feet, with a diameter of six to eight 

 inches. Until some, few years ago it was used solely by the Chinese for ceremonial 

 purposes. It may be said that the development in Western Australia in the early 

 days was to a large extent dependent on the sandalwood trade. , Since 1845 there 

 have been exported 331,205 tons, valued at £3,061,661. The supply close to the 

 seaboard has long since been exhausted, and the source is now away back in the 

 goldfields district. It thrives in as low a rainfall as eight inches per annum. Lately 

 there has been a development in the distillation of sandalwood oil. The yield of 

 oil from the Western Australian wood is not so heavy as that obtained from San- 

 talum album, and the content in santol is lower. It is, however, used in Australia 

 for medical purposes, and found to be as efficacious. 



Sandalwood is a fragrant Avood, and this is one reason for the demand for it 

 by the Chinese. In addition to ceremonial purposes mentioned above, it is manu- 

 factured into boxes of various kinds, such as glove boxes, into card cases, fans, 

 napkin rings, children's blocks, and many other articles. The joss stick burnt in 

 Chinese temples is made from sandalwood dust mixed with a paste with some ad- 

 hesive substance, and rolled round a very thin piece of bamboo. 



