188 
TIMBER 
for July last. Logs 40 ft. long by 2 ft. a side can be 
obtained. Known as Mai talden in Siam. 
Weight about 50 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Pyinma [Lythracce fios regince) is the chief timber tree of 
Assam, Eastern Bengal, and Chittagong, and one of the 
most important of the trees of Burma. The above is the 
Burmese name ; it is called Jarul in Bengal. It gives a 
good useful timber, but much of it grows twisted and knotty, 
and there is a good deal of waste in conversion. It is used 
for shipbuilding, boats, carts, gun carriages and gun stocks, 
also for building work and roof shingles ; the wood varies 
in colour, some being redder than other. It is equal to 
teak for resisting the teredo. The medullary rays are very 
fine ; annular rings marked by belt of large pores. Called 
Mai tabak in Siam. 
Weight 40 to 45 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Gangau {Mesua ferrea) is a small tree about 20 ft. high 
which grows amongst the teak in Burma ; this is the 
Burmese and Andaman name, but it is known under 
various other names in different districts, as, for instance, 
Nahor in Assam, and Assam ironwood. It grows plentifully 
in the Andamans, where it is used for general building 
work, bridges, gunstocks, tool handles, etc. ; it is very 
hard, heavy and strong, and difficult to work, and these are 
probably the reasons why it is not more used. The wood 
is dark red, and the pores are filled with yellow resin. 
Sleej^ers of this wood are said to be as good as those of 
pyinkado. 
Weight up to 74 and 76 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Thitya {Shorea ohtusa) is found in the forests of Burma 
up to a height of 2,000 ft., a large tree, sometimes 50 ft. to 
the first branch ; the wood is the colour of sal, but more 
