INDIA, BUEMA, AND ANDAMAN ISLANDS 185 
protection. The vigorous poles and saplings which we find 
in an area which has been annually burnt over are, in the 
protected area, conspicuous by their absence" ; the reason 
being that the young teak are suppressed and killed otf by 
the quicker-growing bamboos and inferior species. 
Bombax is a soft white wood which goes by many names 
in India. White in colour when freshly cut it turns darker 
on exposure ; it is very soft and perishable. It is probably 
from the large deciduous tree Bomhax malabaricnm (B. 
inslgne grows in the Andamans as well as in India) ; it is 
the silk cotton tree, and grows throughout the East. It 
is used for planking, packing cases, tea boxes, toys, fishing 
boats, coffins, lining of wells, etc. Some planks of " Man- 
churian bombax," probably from trees of the same species, 
appeared in a sale catalogue some time ago ; they were from 
10 to 19 ft. long, 2 to 6 inches thick, and 8 to 19 inches 
wide, but there was difficulty in disposing of them. The 
same timber in another catalogue was called Malabar 
bombax. It is one of the softest and lightest timbers 
known. 
Average weight about 24 lbs., but some specimens only 
weigh 17 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Andaman Marblewood or Zebra Wood is from Diospyros 
Jcnrzii, one of the ebony-producing trees. The sai)WOod is 
grey, the heartwood very dark and streaked with black and 
grey in alternate layers. It may be had in sizes up to 
20 ft. long and 9 inches square, is difficult to season, liable 
to shrink and warp, and is used for cabinet work, furniture^ 
carving, walking-sticks, etc. 
Weight varies from 43 to 80 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Kokko {Albizzia Lehbek), the Siris tree, goes by a variety 
of names and is common in India, Burma, and the 
