62 NOTES ON APPARENTLY USEFUL WOODS 



close-grained, of a colour resembling plain mahogany. It is highly- 

 prized at the Cape for furniture, tools, &c, but particulary for carriages 

 and waggons. 



Hartogia Capensis, Thbg. (Smalblad, or Lepelhout). — This is also a 

 native of the Cape, and grows to a height of 12 or 15 feet, with a dia- 

 meter of lij? feet. The wood is fixm, fine-grained, and tough, and when 

 polished is equal to some of the finer kinds of mahogany, both in colour 

 and texture. It is much used at the Cape for veneering superior articles 

 of furniture, and also for the manufacture of musical instruments. 



Berrya Amonille, Roxb. (Halmililo). — A native of the Moluccas and 

 Ceylon, where the tree attains a height of 30 or 40 feet. The wood in 

 colour somewhat resembles pencil cedar, but is much harder, closer, and 

 finer grained, taking a good polish. It is considered the best timber in 

 Ceylon for casks, tubs, waggons, &c. 



Elceodendron croceum, Dc. (Saffron-wood of the Cape of Good Hope), 

 growing to about 40 feet high, with a diameter of two to four feet. The 

 timber is close, fine, even-grained, and very tough ; the colour is of a 

 lightish red-brown, and looks well when polished. It has an infinite 

 variety of uses in its native country, being employed for cabinet-work, 

 furniture, building purposes, and also for carriage and waggon work. 



Zizyphus jujiiba, Lam. — A native of India, but growing also in China. 

 It is a small tree, about 16 to 20 feet high, producing a wood of a fine 

 reddish-brown colour, equal in appearance to fine mahogany ; it is very 

 close and even-grained, compact, and heavy. From this wood the 

 native Indian sandals are chiefly made. 



Comocladia integrifolia, Jacq. (Maiden Plum of Jamaica), where it is 

 a common tree, growing 20 to 30 feet high. It has a very heavy, dense, 

 and even-grained wood, of a clear, dark, mahogany colour, and is used 

 in Jamaica for furniture and cabinet work. 



Pistacia Lentiscus, L. — This tree is a native of the south of Europe 

 and the northern parts of Africa. It is known to us as being one of the 

 trees from which the gum mastich of commerce is obtained, and grows 

 to about 20 or 30 feet high, producing a close-grained, hard wood, of a 

 dark reddish-brown colour, beautifully marked with dark stripes. 



Odina Wodier, Roxb. A large tree, native of the East Indies. 

 The heart wood of the old tree is hard, and close grained, of a reddish- 

 brown mahogany colour, taking a good polish. It is used in India for 

 various purposes, amongst others, for sheaths for swords, &c. 



Azedarachta Indica, Juss. — A tree 20 to 30 feet high, native of the 

 East Indies, producing a hard, close grained, and durable wood, of a 

 reddish-brown colour, with dark variegated markings. It is much used 

 for shipbuilding, carts, and various other purposes. 



Eperua falcata, Aubl. (Wallaba of British Guiana.) Where it grows 

 very abundantly, and produces a close, even grained wood, very strong 

 and durable, of a deep reddish colour. It is largely employed in house 



