TRUE MAHOGANY. 3 
mahogany and other woods called mahogany shipped into the United 
States amounted to approximately $5,000,000. They may be divided 
into two classes, according as they are used for (1) construction and 
interior finish or (2) furniture and cabinet and other ornamental 
work. ‘To the first class (used also largely for office and bank 
fixtures) belong some grades of true mahogany, chiefly from the 
lowlands of Mexico and wanting figure and luster, and other “ ma- 
hogany ” woods that have very little figure. The second group is 
made up of the best grades of true mahogany and the more highly 
figured and ornamental of the other “ mahoganies.” 
The present bulletin confines itself to a discussion of true 
mahogany. 
COMMON NAMES. 
Besides its most common name, mahogany, the wood of the two 
species of Swietenta has received a number of other names either 
locally or in the market. Some of these indicate the place or region 
where the wood is cut, or the port from which it is shipped. Thus, 
Tabasco, a State in Mexico, supplies the so-called Tabasco mahogany, 
as distinguished, for example, from San Jago mahogany, which 
comes from San Jago, Cuba. Similarly, mahogany from Jamaica, 
Cispata, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Spanish America, 
Colombia,! Mexico, Nassau, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Yucatan, West 
Indies, South America, Belize, Trupillo, Guatemala, Porto Plata, 
Laguna, Corinto, and Central America bears as a distinctive part 
of its local or trade name that of the town, port, State, or region from 
which the wood is derived. In reference to the excellence or in- 
feriority of the wood from different regions, Santo Domingo ma- 
hogany, for example, is considered the most desirable grade. This 
comes mainly from slow-growing trees on high, dry ground and is 
relatively hard compared with the soft, spongy “bay mahogany ” 
(Swietenta macrophylla) obtained from rapid-growing trees in the 
“moist soil of British Honduras and along the coast of southern 
Mexico. “ Baywood ” is another trade name used for the wood from 
the Mexican lowlands. 
The following additional trade, local, ard foreign names are also 
applied to true mahogany: 
Caoba’? or caobo (Spanish name in Cuba, Mexico, Central and South 
America). 
Mahagoniholz or acajouholz (German). 
Pao magno (Portuguese). 
Albero di acajou (Italian). 
Madeira or madeira wood (Florida and Bahamas). 
1 There is also a wood marketed under the name “ Colombian mahogany ” which is not 
true mahogany. See Forest Service Circular 185, Colembian Manogany. 
2In Costa Rica, Caoba, a name probably of Indian origin, is applied also to Guarea 
caoba C. D. C. and Carapa guianensis Aub. 
