JAPANESE TIMBER 
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to the high price and scarcity of the latter. UnUke the 
American wood, the Japanese oak sent over is most accurately 
sawn. 
Shira Gashi {Quercus glauca) is a hard, close-grained, brown 
wood, traversed by numerous fine medullary rays, elastic 
and durable. It is much used for shafting, tools, vehicles, 
wheel work, etc., and in all situations where it is exposed 
to frictional wear, as in native mill machinery, etc. It 
does not attain sufficient size to be generally useful in 
engineering works, the girth being seldom more than 3 ft. 
Aka Gashi {Q. acuta) is another Japanese oak, the timber 
of which is hard and of great strength, dark brown in 
colour; used for shipbuilding and for machinery and 
carriage-building. Shiron gashi is used for similar 
purposes. Recently a shipment of several hundred logs 
of Japanese oak was landed at the London docks ; the 
timber was square, sound, and in fair lengths and excellent 
sizes ; it was a mild-looking wood and of good texture. The 
shipment also comprised a quantity of planks and boards 
of the same. In the northern island the oaks grow to a 
considerable size, but owing to the difficulties of the ground 
large sizes cannot be got out. 
Onara (Q. crispula) has recently been in the European 
market under the name " Nara " in lengths up to 16 ft. by 
8 inches by 3 inches. 
Keyaki (Zelkowa keaki) is the most important of Japanese 
hardwoods and is allied to the elm. The wood is light 
brown in colour with the annual rings distinctly marked, 
and in strength and appearance it resembles teak. A 
strong, durable, close-grained timber, often knotty, easily 
worked ; it is procurable of sufficient size for all kinds of 
