Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22
MAHOGANY In MEXICO.
Difficult Work of Getting 1t to Market
From the Tropical Forests.

From the City Of Mexico Herald.
An Englishman, who has arrived in the
city from the peninsular portion of Mexico,
gave Herald reporter an interesting con-
versation regarding many matters connect
ed with that prolific part of the republic.
Among other topics of conversation the
mahogany supply came up, and he was
asked his opinion as to how long it would
be before the trees in Mexico would all
have been utilized commercially, and
whether any caution was being taken to-
ward preserving a supply for the future.
His reply was that there was an unwritten
law against the cutting down of young
trees, and many parts of Tabasco, CHA
pas. Yucatan and Campeachy had not as
yet been exploited in that line.
The mahogany hunter, he said, is the
most important and best paid laborer in
the service. The trees do not grow in
clusters, but are scattered promiscuously
through the forest and hidden in dense
growth of underbrush, vines and creepers,
and it often requires a skillful and exper-
fenced woodsman to find them. No prog
ress can be made in tropical forests with
out the aid of machete, for the way must
be cut step by step.
The mahogany is one of the largest and
tallest of trees. and the hunter seeking the
highest ground, climbs to the top of the
tallest tree and surveys the surrounding
country. His practiced eye soon detects
the mahogany by its peculiar foliage and
he counts the trees within the scope Of
his vision. notes the direction and dis
tances. and then, descending, cuts a
row trail to each tree, which he carefully
blazes and marks, especially If there is a
rival hunter in the vicinity.
To fell large mahogany tree is one
days task for two men. On account of the
wide spurs which project from the trunk
at the base, scaffolds are often erected and
the tree cut off above the spurs, which
leaves a stump from ten to fifteen feet in
height, sheer waste of the very best part
of the tree, and one which modern in
genuity should certainly devise some means
to prevent
Great difficulty is sometimes had in get
ton. and crude trucks are generally used,
made by saving off one end of a tree trunk
and fitting the wheel thus acquired with
kind of axle, which at the best is a
clumsy and Anticipated affair. These trucks
are hauled by oxen, and all the trucking
done in the dry season, the logs being
placed on the bank of a river to await the
time of the floods.
No little judgment is required to deter
mine at what exact stage of the flood to
turn the logs adrift. Should the water be-
too high the logs would be apt to be left
high and dry on some of the low-lying
grounds adjacent to the river. and probably
covered up by sand and rubbish.
Mahogany trees give from to logs
each. measuring from 10 to Is feet in
length and from 20 to A inches in diameter
after being hewed.
The manufacturing process consists in
saving off the ends that have been bruised
and splintered in transit down the river
and In refining and relieving the logs by
skillful workmen. who give them a smooth
measured. rolled back into the water at
the mouth of the river, and then made In
to RATS, to be taken to the vessels an
chored outside the bar.