III.] THE CLASSIFICATION OF TIMBERS. 55 



run into one another, and do not pass round the section 

 (^' false rings ''). 



N.B. — There are no European timbers in this class ; it 

 is, on the other hand, very full of Indian and tropical 

 timbers, 

 (i) Partial zones are present, running more or less con- 

 centrically as bands or incomplete rings, passing 

 into one another here and there, and forming so- 

 called "false rings." 

 (i) Medullary rays of two kinds : some very broad and 

 easily seen without a lens, the majority fine. 

 This may be termed the type of the Indian 

 Oaks: 



<?.^. Quercus lamcllosa, Q, incana^ and 

 some other Indian oaks, 

 (ii) All the medullary rajs narrow and of one kind. 

 The further subdivision of this group depends 

 on too many characters to be enumerated 

 in detail here, but the following important 

 Indian timbers may be given in illustration :— 

 a The "false rings" of tissue are particularly 

 distinct. This may be termed the Fig 

 type, and its chief characteristic is unmis- 

 takable when once seen. 

 (i) No distinct heart-wood is formed, the 

 timber is moderately hard and dense 

 (weight about 40 lbs. pei cubic foot), 

 greyish. 

 e.g. Ficus bengalensis^ Pongamia glabra^ 

 Termiftalia belerica^ &c. 

 (ii) Heart-wood dark and heavy ; about 60 lbs. 

 per cubic foot ; 

 eg. Prosopis spicigera, 

 P The false rings are obscure, and the wood 

 particularly hard, hea"v^% and close-grained. 

 This may be termed the Iron-wood type. 



