188 
The following Report and correspondence furnish all e ES 
so far available in regard to the valuable Camino tree h 
hitherto Y cero received little or no notice outside the country in 
which they gro 
U.S. Cossurag Rerorts, December 1892, pp. 614-615. 
Tur Comino Tree or COLOMBIA. 
By parcel post I forward a small box made of * Comino crespo,” 
containing seeds of m beautiful poc which, I presume, does not exist 
in the United State 
Sean makers, and po esses some exco piiodal properties, not oii for 
high-class furniture, but for building purposes. ‘The common kind of 
Comino is — much appreciated for house building, its merit being that 
it is a perfect proof against all wood-destroying insects so prevalent i in 
this part of Colombia. It is a well-known fact that all kinds of timber 
used for building purposes in this country are oa and destroyed 
im 
stand strong and gm nged for ages, and is unaffected by either insects; 
water, soil, or clim 
There is nerw kind of Comino wood, having the same properties as 
above deseribed, but commanding a very high price and used mostly for 
veneering purposes. It is of a bea utiful dark and light undulating 
colour of a yellowish tortoise-shell appearance, as will “be seen by the 
small box I send with the seed. High-class furniture veneered. with 
this kind of Comino, called here “ Comino cr espo,” presents a magnificent 
appearance, always bringing a high price if well worked and properly 
finished. 
This tree is especially g grown in the department of Antioquia, and also 
serves as a handsome ornament to à country place. You will likewise 
find inside the box of seed some aps which I have picked from some 
plants in my eountry home. 
he Comino above described can be successfully cultivated at a 
temperature of between 18? and 20? C. I have no doubt but that if it 
can be cultivated and acclimatized in the United States, this beautiful and 
wonderful tree will be a great and an important acquisition to the 
American wood-workers. 
ne fully developed tree of Comino ean yield 400 pieces a at follows : 
200 boards 9 feet long, 10 inches wide, by 1 inch thick, and each of them 
can be sold for $1. 20; * 200 girders 9 feet long, 4 inches wide, 3 2 inches 
thick, and each is sold for $1. Besides, the branches of the tree are 
utilised for small columns for windows, and for other purposes, and the 
very thin ones for fvel, although it burns very badly, yielding a great 
deal of sm 
The Ra tree is not the Sandalo citrino of Ceylon, Brazil, and 
China, as is believed by some. 
(Signed) Luctano Santa MARIA, , 
Vice-Consul. 
United States Consulate, 
Medellin, August 16, 1892. 
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