54 ON THE HARD WOODS OF COMMERCE. 



to be produced by the same tree. The import3 of Brazil-wood in 1861 

 were 5,101 tons, valued at 102,262Z. Braziletto wood is furnished by 

 C. Brasiliensis, which grows in Jamaica and other parts of the "West 

 Indies to the height of about 20 feet. This wood is much used for 

 ornamental cabinet work, and both kinds are employed in turnery and 

 for making violin bows. Canary-wood is obtained from the Laurus 

 indica and L. canariensis, trees natives of Madeira and tbe Canaries. 

 Cocus-wood or Kokra is obtained from Cuba and other West Indian 

 islands, but has been referred by some to Lepidostachys Roxburghii 

 of Eastern India. Cocus is much used in turnery, and for mak- 

 ing flutes and other musical instruments. It is a wood of small size, 

 being usually imported in logs of about 6 or 8 inches diameter. The 

 alburnum is of a light colour, while the heart-wood is of a rich deep 

 brown, and extremely hard. Calamander, or Coromaudel wood, is 

 obtained in Ceylon, from Diospyros Mrsuta. It is a scarce and beautiful 

 wood, exceedingly hard, fine, closed-grained and heavy. It consists of 

 pale reddish-brown fibres, crossed by large medullary plates, or isolated 

 elongated patches of a deep rich brown colour, passing into black. 

 These latter are chiefly conspicuous in well-defined veins and broad 

 spots, admirably contrasting with the lighter parts. The lustre is silky 

 where the medullary plates are small, but higher and more varying 

 where the plates are larger and the grain coarser. Calamander-wood is con- 

 sidered by many persons the handsomest of all the brown woods : the root 

 has the more beautiful appearance. This wood is now getting scarce. 

 Another species (D. Ebenaster) furnishes in Ceylon a very fine wood, 

 bearing a close resemblance to Calamander. The planks of Calamander 

 shown at Paris in 1855 and at London last year were magnificent. 



Belonging to the same genus as the Calamander is the Ebony of com- 

 merce, which, from its colour and denseness is so much used by turners, 

 and for inlaying work by cabinet makers. Of 1,500 tons, valued at about 

 15,000/, imported in 1861, the bulk came from India and Africa, and a 

 small quantity, 260 tons, of inferior, worth only about 5Z, a ton (instead 

 of 1 1 /. 1 0s.), from Cuba. The carved ebony furniture from Ceylon was much 

 admired. There are several woods which pass under the general name 

 of ebony. The green ebony, obtained from Jamaica and other parts of 

 the West Indies, is supposed to be furnished by Brya Ebenus, a small 

 tree. The duramen of the wood is a dark green, the alburnum, or 

 outer wood, of a light yellow. The wood is hard and susceptible of a 

 very high polish. It is much used for rulers and other small work, also 

 in marquetry. Another green ebony is said to be obtained from Jaca- 

 randa mimosifolia, in Brazil. The name green ebony is also applied to 

 the wood of Exccecaria glandulosa, of Jamaica. Bed ebony is an unde- 

 fined wood of Natal. Several species of Diospyros are known to yield 

 in great abundance the black ebony of commerce. Those of the East 

 Indies are D. Ebenus, cordifolia, Ebenaster, Meibola, melanoxylon, Ruylei, 

 and tomentosa. The ebony from the west coast of Africa is usually the 



