466 ON THE FURNITURE WOODS OF COMMERCE. 



tiguous, and sometimes several lines apart. The more numerous the 

 spots, the more beautiful and the more esteemed is the wood. This variety- 

 is called " bird's eye maple." 



Maple is now imported in considerable quantities from New 

 Brunswick and fetches a high price ; 413 tons, valued at 2,752Z. were 

 received in 1861. The ancients held the maple in great esteem, and 

 tables inlaid with curious portions of it, or formed entirely of its finely 

 variegated wood, in some instances realized their weight in gold. 



The principal portion of the Satin-wood that comes into commerce is 

 brought from the West Indies, and is produced by Mdba Guineensis 

 an ebenaceous tree in the Bahamas, Hayti, &c. 



It is of a beautiful deep yellow colour, mixed more or less with orange 

 and brown, and hence callel, locally, " yellow wood ;" it is remarkably 

 close-grained, heavy, and durable. It is sometimes confounded with 

 East Indian satin-wood, the produce of Chloroxylon Swietenia, a 

 cedrelaceous tree. The latter possesses the richest colour, whilst the 

 West Indian satin wood has a higher and more variable lustre. In some 

 instances the Indian wood is beautifully patterned or flowered, and is 

 much used for picture-frames, rivalling bird's-eye maple. Indeed, Satin- 

 w ood fetches a much higher price than maple. The Chinese are very 

 partial to this wood, and receive quantities of it from Siam. We 

 obtain some from Ceylon and Madras. 



Our supplies of the dark blackwood, known as Ebony, to the extent 

 of 1,500 tons, are imported chiefly from the west coast of Africa, 

 Madagascar, India, and Ceylon. It is the duramen or heart-wood of 

 several species of Diospyros, and is much used for inlaying work by 

 cabinet-makers. 



Previous to the introduction of mahogany, rosewood, and other exotic 

 woods, that of the walnut was held in higher estimation than that of 

 any other European tree, and supplied their places in the manufacture 

 of the most valuable and costly pieces of furniture, examples of which 

 are still to be seen in the houses of ancient date, whose beauty in grain, 

 polish, and pattern, would bear comparison with any of the choicest 

 woods of the present day. Indeed, of late years we have been return- 

 ing to this taste ; for while foreigners prefer mahogony for cabinet we 

 have taken again to walnut for suites of furniture. The imports of 

 walnut-wood have recently averaged 3,200 tons, or double the quantity 

 of rosewood imported. 



The name of Cedar is given to several woods, but properly belongs to 

 the almost incorruptible wood obtained from two species of Cedrus, — C. 

 Deoiirar and C. Libani. This is the cedar spoken of in t Scripture : " The 

 cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers : all 

 was cedar ; there was no stone seen." — (1 Kings, vi. 18.) 



The wood of the common Cedrelas is far less valuable. The cedar 

 chiefly imported is Cedrela odorata, in logs free from knots and straight- 



