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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Our supplies of the dark blackwood, known as Ebony, 
to the extent of 1,500 tons, are imported chiefly from the west 
coast of Africa, Madagascar, India, and Ceylon. It is the 
duramen or heart-wood of several species of Diospyros, and is 
much used for inlaying work by cabinet-makers. 
Previous to the introduction of mahogany, rosewood, and 
other exotic woods, that of the Walnut was held in higher esti- 
mation than that of any other European tree, and supphed their 
places in the manufacture of the most valuable and costly pieces 
of furniture, examples of which are still to be seen in houses 
of ancient date, whose beauty in grain, polish, and pattern, 
would bear comparison with any of the choicest woods 
of the present day. Indeed, of late years we have been 
returning to this taste ; for while foreigners prefer mahogany 
for cabinet work, we have taken again to walnut for suites 
of furniture. The imports of walnut-wood have recently 
averaged 3,200 tons, or double the quantity of rosewood 
imported. 
The name Cedar is given to several woods, but properly 
belongs to the almost incorruptible wood obtained from two 
species of Gedrus, — -G. Deodara and G. Libani. This is the 
cedar spoken of in Scripture : “ The cedar of the house within 
was carved with knops and open flowers : all was cedar ; there 
was no stone seen.” — -(1 Kings, vi. 18.) 
The wood of the common Gedrelas is far less valuable. The 
cedar chiefly imported is Gedrela odorata, in logs, free from 
knots and straight-grained, from Cuba, Mexico, and Central 
America, in quantities varying from 3,000 to 5,000 tons yearly. 
Thirty years ago the consumption was less than half that 
quantity. The red or pencil cedar of Virginia {Jump erus 
Virginiana ) is also imported, being serviceable for internal 
joiner’s work. The rare beauty of the sideboard top of 
Australian cedar root in the New South Wales court of the late 
Exhibition attracted much attention. 
Oak still retains its time-honoured place in Gothic furniture 
and libraries. Wainscot oak is imported in logs from the 
Baltic, for cutting into planks or slabs for furniture, or for 
panelling rooms. 
Having noticed the principal woods imported in quantity, we 
may now incidentally glance briefly at a few others deserving 
of mention. And here it may be remarked that nearly all the 
ornamental woods used are derived from tropical countries, 
although occasionally specimens of woods grown in temperate 
regions are characterized by considerable beauty. Thus the 
curled ash of Canada, from the beauty of the figure, if better 
known, would be much appreciated by our timber merchants, 
the pattern resembling the renowned Hungarian ash, a wood 
