PHILIPPINE WOODS. 
363 
IMMUNITY FROM ATTACK. 
Hardness. — A few woods, such as mancono ( Xanthostemon verdugo- 
nianus Naves) for piling and molave ( Vitex spp.) for house construction, 
seem to be immune from attack because of their hardness. As a rule 
the hardwoods are very much freer from insect and teredo attack than 
are the soft kinds. 
Taste and odor . — It seems probable that some woods may be safe 
from insects because of a taste or odor which is not agreeable to the 
invaders. This is supposed to be the case with calantas ( Toona spp.). 
IMPREGNATION AND OTHER ARTIFICIAL MEANS OF DEFENSE AGAINST INSECTS AND TEREDO. 
Creosoting. — Creosoting, in the very few cases in which it has been 
tried in the Islands, has been very satisfactory, but it can not as yet 
come into common use because of the present prohibitive cost of creosote 
in Manila. 
Impregnation with mineral salts may prove effective, if some way can 
be found of precipitating the salts in the wood so that they will not 
leech out under the action of this moist climate. 
Painting a wood, has proved effective so long as the painted surface 
does not become cracked. 
There is further need of experiment to determine what Philippine 
woods are most immune to insect and teredo attack, and what are the 
best artificial means of defense. 
USES OE PHILIPPINE WOODS. 
While complete tests have not been carried out for any Philippine 
woods, certain of them have been found to be particularly well fitted 
for especial uses, and the effort is here made to group the woods of 
commerce according to their use. 
1. In places exposed to salt icater and teredo attack. — For piling: Liusin, 
betis, aranga, mancono, banaba, batitinan, bolongeta, dungon, duiigon-late, man- 
gachapuy, molave, and yacal are used; but the first four mentioned give the 
best satisfaction. 
In addition to these there is agolio, which by its great hardness and its 
normal, tapering shape seems to be well fitted for piling. It seems not yet to 
have been tried for that purpose. 
For ship and boat building: Teak, usually of the first importance as a ship- 
building wood, is of small importance in the Philippines because of its very 
restricted occurrence. It is obtainable only in small quantities. 
For keels and other parts of ships exposed to salt water: Aranga, banaba, 
bansalaguin, betis, dungon, guijo, liusin, molave, narra, palo maria, and yacal 
are used. 
For small boats, bancas, cascoes, etc., a large number of different woods are 
employed, among which are: Apitong, amuguis, bancal, banuyo, calantas, white 
lauan, lumbayao, malasantol, malugay, mangachapuy, and tanguile. 
2. In places where the wood is in contact with the ground. — For corner posts 
of houses ( harigues ) : Molave, ipil, acle, agoho, alupag, anubing, aranga, ba- 
naba, bansalaguin, banuyo, batitinan, betis, calamansanay, dungon, dungon-late, 
