Page:Timber and Timber Trees, Native and Foreign.djvu/193

XXV.] THE ST. DOMINGO MAHOGANY TREE (Swietenia)

is very similar in quality, but of much smaller dimensions than that of Cuba, and only a few logs exceeding 8 to 10 feet in length, by 12 to 13 inches in the mean thickness of their scantlings, are imported into the markets of this country, although they are occasionally seen in well-squared logs, measuring 15″ × 15″ × 25″.

The wood is of a deep red colour, hard, almost horny, heavy, strong, and very solid at the centre; it has a good figured grain, and near to the top of the stem, where it branches off, there is generally a rich and pretty feather or curl in it, which is much prized by cabinet-makers, especially when it is of sufficient length for table-tops, or the fronts of drawers. It shrinks very little, and rarely splits externally in seasoning.

The average measurement of the logs imported is only about 100 superficial feet of 1 inch; while the pieces brought over as curls are seldom more than about 12 superficial feet. Owing to the very small dimensions of this Mahogany tree, there is scarcely any that is available for architectural works, and the supply which comes to us goes solely to meet the demand for cabinet and ornamental purposes.

THE NASSAU MAHOGANY TREE (Swietenia).

This is even more dwarfish in character than the Mahogany of St. Domingo, and the logs imported have rarely exceeded 5 or even 3 feet in length, dressed into neat squares of 6 to 12 inches, the latter size being, however, rare. The measured contents of these logs average only about 8 to 9 superficial feet of 1 inch thick.

The wood is deep red in colour, hard, heavy, equally