The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-01-21


firms engaged in the trade, and the
amount of local business is quite
large, but the trade does not seem to
have ever been worked up on tile
large scale that the merit of the woods
demands.
The chief drawback seems to have
been inaccessibility, for the best of
the hardwood forests are in the less
civilized localities, the first costs made
it difficult to compete with the other
wood producers of the East. Still, it
is strange that the manifest superior
ity Of the finer woods Of the islands
has not won them recognition even
when allowance is made for the diff
culties of operating aud the expense
of transportation.
The fifty odd varieties run the scale
of color from the jet black ebony to the
lighter shades OF cedar, and many of
them offer as much resistance to the
clements as steel. Dozens of them
withstand the teredo, SO troublesome
in Pacific Coast waters, and several Of
them are impervious to the attacks Of
the famous white ants Of the East.
White ants are viciously destructive,
and but few substances besides metal
are capable Of withstanding their at
tacks.
The best known Of the Philippine
woods is molave. 1t is heavy brown
wood, almost as hard as steel. The
teredo and white ant respect 1t, and
the trying dampness and burning heat
Of its native country do not affect it.
It has come into general use, and in
Manila you may see it in use as a rail
way sleeper, in panel in some draw
ingroom, rs the keel of a ship, or
fashioned into the figure Of some saint
in church. It possesses immense
strength, and enters very largely into
the heavier building operations, but it
seems almost unfortunate that it can
not be preserved for more artistic pur-
poses. The interior of the Jesuit
church of Manilais finished in molave,
md there are few prettier pieces of
woodwork in the world. The cary
ings are by master hands and are of
surprising beauty. The wood takes a
splendid polish. The trees are nearly
all defective, ip that they have heart
cup, but hat does not affect the wood.
Dungeon is the substitute for molave
when the latter cannot be obtained in
sufficient sizes for the purposes de-
sired. It is variety of the Herculia
ambifornis, and is generally known as
ironwood. 1t is largely used for ship
building, although it is said that it
does not resist the teredo, and is also
used in building. It is rarely put to
finer uses.
Antipolo, another Of the woods that
are largely used, possesses the attrac-
ton of being light and yet strong. It
is almost as impervious as molave, and
after being once we'll seasoned will not
warp, however much it is exposed.
Batitinan, in addition TO being strong
and tough, is also elastic, and is ex-
cellent for furniture. 1t closely re-
sembles black walnut, and can be used
for all the purposes to which teak is
put. 1t is frequently asserted to be
the superior of teak. It requires sea-
soning to stand the climate, and never
withstands the dampness Of the earth
Ebony has been found in quanti-
ties, and it has become matter of be-
lief that more thorough exploratory
work would lead to the discovery of
larger forests of it. The small
amounts that have been found are of
excellent quality. Mangachapuy is
another of the extremely valuable
woods. 1t closely resembles batitin-
an, and like it, is put to the uses of
teak. Perhaps the prettiest wood OF
the Philippines is nara. 1t is used
largely in the manufacture of fine fur
niture. It greatly varies in color,
running from light straw to deep
red. 1t takes high polish, and its
strength and hardness make it capable
of resisting the ravages of time. The
finest piece Of it in Manila is in table
in the Jesuit observatory. The top is
of one piece, tifty-fve inches wide and
twenty-four feet long. That piece
must have come from a particularly
large tree, for while ten feet more in
length is often obtained, twenty-six
inches is usually the greatest width.
Nara has found its way to the Euro
pean and American markets, but only
in small quantities.
Palo Marie de Playa is a knotty,
bugly tree that grows into curious
crooks and curves. It is strong, aud
proves useful for shipbuilding. It is
said that iron bolts or nails will not
corrode in it. Banaba and macasin
are the woods that 60 largely into
houses, being useful for either axter-
iors or interiors.
Lanete, another Of the valuable
woods. is especially adapted to the
manufacture of musical instruments,
and is greatly priced on that account.
IT is easily the equal of the other
woods put to that use. 1t turns well,