255 



in stiffness though it possesses the quality of toughness in a high 

 degree. 



With respect to durability it is equal to and probably superior 

 to any wood in the Straits. Newton cites as examples that in 

 opening up the roof of the Town Hall in Singapore in l8yg, it was 

 found that the tie beams of Kumpas had been entirely destroyed 

 by termites, which not one piece of Tampinis was touched, and all 

 the timbers were used in the new roof. The Town Hall was then 

 20 years old. Again when Crawford Bridge was rebuilt the main 

 timbers were found to be Tampinis in excellent condition, and the 

 bridge being not less than 30 years old. Several of the older 

 houses in Singapore have Tampinis beams and posts, among 

 which is the Botanic Gardens House. The beams here are as 

 sound as the day they were put up. The wood in fact is proof 

 against fungus, termites and teredo. 



Besides its use for building, smaller stems are in much request 

 for carrying poles, gambier stirrers and such like articles, where 

 strength is required. Veth (Midden Sumatra) says it is used for 

 sugar mills, and wheels. The tree grows in forest and secondary 

 scrub, shooting up again when the main stem is felled, but as it is 

 often cut again and again for carrying poles and such things, it is 

 gradually dying out. In very dense woods it produces single un- 

 branched stems of large size but where exposed on in light woods, 

 it is very apt to throw up a large number of stems and branch very 

 low down. 



Ficus. 



A large genus of trees and shrubs some of very large size. The 

 wood is as a rule almost useless, even as firewood, it is soft and 

 usually white with no distinct heartwood. Structurally it is 

 most remarkable for the distinctness of the rings of growth, which 

 may be connected with the fact that at least some of the Figs have 

 a habit of completely shedding their leaves and so " wintering " 

 for a short time but the period of absolute bareness of the tre^ is 

 usually very short, not more than a day or two. Some few of the 

 smaller kinds produce a fibre in the bark (F. chart i>cea,) and all con- 

 tain a latex which, however, only produces caoutchouc in one or two 

 species such as the well known F. elastic a Getah Rambong. 



F. brae teat a, Wall. 



Large shrub or small tree. Wood soft and rather light splits 

 readily, light reddish fawn colour, pores rather large scattered 

 some partitioned, rings distinct very narrow about 50 to the inch, 

 rays obscure fine. Weight 31 lbs. 8 ozs. 



F. Benjamina, L. Waringin. 



A common cultivated tree, attaining a fairly large size but with 

 a rather thick short trunk. Wood very light, pale reddish fawn and 

 white, rings distinct broader than the last and wavy, pores large not 

 very numerr 1 b. Weight 41 lbs. 10 ozs. 



