1829. 



VARIETIES OF WOOD. 



S81 



Muermo. There is no wood produced on the island more 

 useful than the muermo. It is used for timbers, and knees, and 

 all other purposes of ship-building: and is excellent for the 

 planks of boats, as it bears wet and dry without suffering from 

 either. It is abundant, and much used as firewood, for which it 

 is well suited. 



Luma {Myrtus Luma), a very tough and useful wood, used 

 for tree-nails, for stakes in fencing, for rafters in the roofs of 

 houses ; and is exported in large quantities to Lima, for shafts 

 and poles of carriages. The fruit is sweet, and might yield a 

 strong spirit ; it is called cauchao. 



Ciruclillo, a small tree, used only for washing-bowls and 

 boxes ; it is of little value. 



Quiaka. Of no value. 



Tapu, a very crooked tree, growing along the ground in 

 swampy places. It might serve for floors, and timbers for small 

 vessels ; but it is not used, from its being so very hard. 



Tenu, something like muermo, and considered a good wood. 



Peta, a species of Myrtus, of which hoops for barrels are 

 made. 



Ralral, considered to be like the wood of the walnut-tree, and 

 of general use, on account of its toughness and durability ; it is 

 made into blocks for ships. 



Meli, more tough than luma : of this the country people 

 make pick-axes, for cultivating the ground (Agueros, p. 127). 



Pelu, also tough ; useful for axle-trees and gun-carriages 

 (Agueros, p. 127). 



May ten, useful for turning ; and lasts long under water. 



The above mentioned are produced on the island ; but the 

 two following, alerse and cypress, are from the main-land, in 

 the neighbourhood of the Cordilleras. They are not only in 

 general use in Chiloe, but are exported in large quantities to 

 all the ports to the northward. The alerse, near Childe, is of 

 better quality than that which comes from Concepcion. 



The Cypress is brought to the island in Hablones' (orplanks), 

 seven or eight feet long, two inches thick, and nine or ten inches 

 wide, as is also the alerse ; but the latter, from the facility with 



