Page:A primer of forestry, with illustrations of the principal forest trees of Western Australia.djvu/98

92 30.—SANDALWOOD (Santalum cygnorum).

A small tree attaining a height of 12 to 16 feet, with a diameter of six to eight inches. Until some few years ago it was used solely by the Chinese for ceremonial purposes. It may be said that the development in Western Australia in the early days was to a large extent dependent on the sandalwood trade. Since 1845 there have been exported 331,205 tons, valued at £3,061,661. The supply close to the seaboard has long since been exhausted, and the source is now away back in the goldfields district. It thrives in as low a rainfall as eight inches per annum. Lately there has been a development in the distillation of sandalwood oil. The yield of oil from the Western Australian wood is not so heavy as that obtained from Santalum album, and the content in santol is lower. It is, however, used in Australia for medical purposes, and found to be as efficacious.

Sandalwood is a fragrant wood, and this is one reason for the demand for it by the Chinese. In addition to ceremonial purposes mentioned above, it is manufactured into boxes of various kinds, such as glove boxes, into card cases, fans, napkin rings, children's blocks, and many other articles. The joss stick burnt in Chinese temples is made from sandalwood dust mixed with a paste with some adhesive substance, and rolled round a very thin piece of bamboo.