198 
TIMBEE 
quality, close grained, and of straw colour, somewhat 
resembling satin wood. 
Weight about 50 lbs. per cubic foot. 
Lauan {Dipterocarpus thurifcra) is another Philippine wood 
which was at one time much appreciated for shipbuilding 
for the reason that it had the merit of not splintering when 
struck with shot. 
Japanese Timber. 
Notwithstanding the extensive forest area of Japan, 
amounting to about 28,000,000 acres, containing much very 
valuable timber, it is extremely doubtful if any great 
quantity will ever come into the foreign markets. A people 
with so keen a business instinct is unlikely to follow the 
shortsighted policy of other nations and denude the 
country of such a valuable asset. The Government has for 
some time past taken up and studied the question of forestry 
in the State forests, which represent about half the forest 
resources of the kingdom, and not only does Japan husband 
her own natural resources, but she is actively engaged in 
planting foreign species of timber as well. Large quantities 
of American timber have been imported in the past, but 
this the Japanese expect soon to be able to do without. 
Japanese hardwood was largely used for Chinese railways, 
especially along the Gulf of Pechili, where timber is very 
scarce, and ,i;200,000 worth of, hardwood sleepers were 
exported from the island of Hokkaido in 190i, but, with the 
exception of oak and ash, the author is unaware of any 
Jai^anese timber being imported into Great Britain. 
Japanese Oak, of which there are many varieties, much 
resembles in texture and quality the American oak, and is 
attracting the attention of wagon builders and others, owing 
