ON THE HARD WOODS OF COMMERCB. 57 



been ascertained to belong to two or thrae species of Brazilian Trip- 

 tvlomeas. The imports of rosewood in 1861 were 2,441 tons, of the 

 computed value of 48,884Z. In 1820, when the duty was as high as 

 201. the ton, the imports of rosewood were only 271 tons. In 1826 

 the duty was reduced by one half, and in 1830 the imports had risen 

 to 1,515 tons. The shipments of Brazilian rosewood are chiefly made 

 from Bahia. In 1857, 16,870 logs were sent from there, and in 1858, 

 17,834 logs, of a total value of about 28,000Z. The great bulk of the 

 shipments go to France and Germany. A rosewood is obtained in 

 Central America and Honduras, from a species of Amyris. East Indian 

 rosewood, a valuable mottled black timber, is obtained from Dalbergia 

 latifolia and sissoides ; these furnish the well-known Malabar black-wood 

 which is heavy and close-grained, admitting of a tine polish. The prin- 

 cipal articles of carved furniture in the East Indian collection were 

 made from this wood. A similar kind of rosewood is obtained on the 

 west coast of the Gulf of Siam, but the grain is not so close as the 

 South American wood. A large quantity is exported yearly from 

 Bangkok to Shanghai, and other Chinese ports. 



The East Indian Satin wood is the produce of Chloroxylon Swieteuia. 

 It is close-grained, hard, and durable in its character, of a light orange 

 colour, and when polished, has a beautiful satiny appearance ; unless pro- 

 tected by a coat of fine varnish, it loses its beauty by age. This tree oc- 

 curs abundantly in the northern parts of Ceylon. That variety called, on 

 account of the pattern, " flowered satin," is scarce. The tree also grows 

 in the mountainous districts of the Madras presidency. The West Indian 

 satin-wood is obtained from Maba guineensis, in the Bahamas, and from 

 an unnamed tree in Dominica. The wood of the European Yew (Taxus 

 baccata), being hard, compact, and of a very fine, close grain, is 

 occasionally used for fine cabinet work, or inlaying, and by turners for 

 making snuff-boxes, musical instruments, &c. ; parts near the root are 

 often extremely beautiful. Eor the combination of colour with figure, 

 it ranks at the head of the eyed or spotted woods. Brazil furnishes 

 tulip-wood, and zebra-wood ; the latter, which is scarce, is from the 

 Omphalobium Lamberti, a large tree of Demerara. It resembles king- 

 wood, except the colours, which are generally dispersed in irregular but 

 angular veins and stripes. Zebra-wood is a beautiful wood for cross 

 banding. Some very good specimens of Colonial turning in goblets and 

 ornaments, from the native ash, red gum, cherry tree, and black-wood 

 of South Australia, were shown at the International Exhibition of 1862. 

 One or two new woods have recently been introduced, but not to any 

 large extent ; of these we may mention the following Australian woods. 

 The scented Myall (Acacia homolophylla) is a very hard and heavy wood, 

 of an agreeable odour, resembling that of violets. It is especially 

 adapted, from its pleasant odour, for glove and trinket boxes, and any 

 interior applications where not being varnished, it would retain its 

 pleasant scent. Myall has a dark and beautiful duramen, which makes it 



