TIMBEES OF BRITISH GUIANA 
125 
which has not altered materially in price for the last 
twenty-five years. 
Mora {Dimorphaiidra mora or mora excelsa), of which 
there are three kinds, comes from the same neighbourhood 
as greenheart and also from Trinidad. It has been 
referred to as a poor quality of greenheart, but there can 
be no mistaking the two timbers, as mora is of a chestnut 
brown colour, exceedingly hard, heavy, tough and close, 
and generally straight in the grain ; it is much used in the 
colony for boat-building and railway sleepers. 
Although classed with greenheart in Lloyd's List, it is 
not such a good timber, but when free from sap it is very 
durable both in and out of water. It is not much imported 
into Great Britain, although long lengths can be obtained, 
as it is the loftiest tree found in British Guiana, sometimes 
attaining a height of nearly 200 ft. Makes excellent 
sleepers, and to judge from samples it would probably make 
good street paving. It has stood a crushing stress of 5"33 
tons per square inch. 
Weight per cubic foot about 65 lbs. 
Mora telegraph poles were inspected by Mr. C. C. F. 
Monckton after being placed in dense tropical vegetation 
for ten years and were found quite sound, but where young 
sappy wood had been used the poles rotted in less than a 
year {Jour, of Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., vol. 39). 
The Bullet Tree or Balata {Mimusops balata or M. glohosa), 
a tree of 120 ft. in height, produces a tough, durable timber 
of dark red colour found in British Guiana and most of the 
West India Islands. It is used for much the same pur- 
poses as greenheart, saws easily, and takes a good polish. 
It is also an excellent wood for turning, most durable when 
free from sap, warps a good deal in seasoning, and cracks 
