PREFACE 
When the publishers asked me to undertake this work it 
was stipulated that it was to be essentially a " practical 
work," and that botany was only incidentally to be touched 
upon. Only those timbers have been dealt with which 
are most generally used, either in their native districts or 
in the general timber trade, together with some others 
which are likely before long to come into the market. 
Those most largely used have been dealt with at greatest 
length. 
It is impossible for any one individual to have a close 
acquaintance with even all the well-known timbers of 
commerce ; even in " the trade " those well acquainted 
with a class of timber in which they deal often know com- 
paratively little about others. The timber trade, like most 
others, is now highly specialised. I have, in order to 
supplement my own experience, had recourse for informa- 
tion to those well acquainted with particular timbers of 
which I have not equal experience, and I have to thank 
many professional friends in all parts of the world, and 
many strangers, for valuable assistance. Much useful 
information concerning United States timber has been 
drawn from the bulletins and circulars of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry, 
whose officials have been most helpful in placing informa- 
tion at my disposal ; the same applies to the Agents 
General and officials of our own Colonial Governments. 
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