216 
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
dark brown towards the centre, while the sapwood, which is distinct and 
sometimes an inch deep on a large tree, is nearly white. Kings irregular, 
close, often distinctly marked, wavy in outline, 10-30 per inch in accordance 
with habitat, some distinct and closer than others, all fairly straight or wavy, 
and parallel in the longitudinal section, darker than the greyish-yellow 
interspaces. Medullary rays almost imperceptible, very fine and close, 
giving a minute satiny lustre. Pores very small, either separate or 3-6 in 
line together." The Sneezewood is undoubtedly our most resistant timber, 
and Hutchins* classes it with Jarrah and Grreenheart as imperishable wood. 
Fourcadef gives the properties of Sneezewood as : " Weight, 68 lb. per cubic 
ft. ; relative hardness, 8 ; coefficient of elasticity, 965 tons ; modulus of 
rupture, 9-71 ; crushing load, 7*17 tons per sq. in." 
Prof. Unwin,j who describes it as the strongest but also the heaviest of 
Cape timbers submitted to him, found its properties : " Weight, per cubic 
ft. 67'44 lbs. ; shearing stress, 0*490 tons ; crushing strength, 5'365 tons ; 
coefficient of elasticity, 9837 tons per sq. in." 
It is as fencing-poles, gate-posts, and in the construction of harbour 
works that this timber is most largely used. Hutchins states that used in 
the marine works it has only once allowed the entrance of Teredo navalis, 
and that under exceptional circumstances. This case is treated in a paper 
by Hemmersley-Heenen.§ 
It is unfortunate that such a valuable timber should in the past have 
been used as firewood or for purposes which could have been as well served 
by a cheaper. Hutchins (op. cit.) mentions that in 1883 it was still sold for 
firewood on the King William ston market, and states that the burning of 
it was like the burning of bank-notes. Even to-day there is a great deal 
of injudicious cutting-out and destruction of this tree. 
The natives, in particular, fancy this tree for firewood, perhaps owing to 
its being very inflammable and burning even when green, and they are 
directly responsible for no small share of the destruction of this tree in the 
past, and even at present, when opportunity offers, do not hesitate to illicitly 
fell and use these trees for firewood. 
The wood is extremely handsome and takes a fine polish, though its one 
serious drawback is the fact that the dust from it produces sneezing (hence 
the vernacular name) and running of the eyes. Another drawback, if such 
it be, is its extreme hardness. 
Further references and remarks on the timber will be found in Sim's 
work referred to and in reports of the Forestry Department. 
* Hutchins, Official Handbook of the Cape, 1893, p. 133. 
t Fourcade, H. G., Eeport on Natal Forests, 1889, p. 133. 
X Unwin, Cape Agricultural Journal, 1900, p. 605. 
§ Hemmersley-Heenen, R. H., " A Short Account of the Attacks of the Teredo 
navalis and Chelura terebrans upon Greenheart {Nectandra Rodioei) and Sneezewood 
(Ptaeroxylon utile) Timbers," Trans. S.A. Phil. Soc, vol. v, p. 313. 
