Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-01
ON A MAHOGANY RANCH.
How the valuable wood Ii Cut and
shipped From Mexico.

shipped From Mexico.
Mahogany is probably more popular
and extensively used than any other
high class cabinet wood 1t Is to be
seen in the interior finish Of nearly all
our modern office buildings, private res
licences, railway coaches, in pianos, fur
nture, musical instruments, etc. 1t Ia
purely tropical wood 1t is obtained
in Mexico, Cuba. Santo Domingo Cen
trail America. South America and Afri-
ca. The mahogany from Santo Domin-
go and Cuba is, as a rule, close grained
and darker in color than other varieties
OF the wood. While Africa produces
some of the finest specimens ri mahog-
any timber as to size. 1t ia inferior in
texture and lacks some qualities OF
high grade wood.
While there are many millions Of feet
OF this beautiful and durable wood used
annually in this country, not one in a
thousand knows just where 1t comes
from and how it is obtained or one in
a million has seen it in it's full ma
turity standing in its native Businesses,
the true king Of the tropical forest, sub
lime in its grandeur. veritable giant
among pygmies, ia many instances so
vine laden as to appear In gigantic
physical contest for supremacy over the
rest Of the arboreal world. its enormous
branches clothed with bright green 70
liage and so farreaching as to overshad-
ow much of the surrounding forest.
challenging its lesser rivals to compete
with It in beauty, symmetry and
strength.
Mahogany is found on very fertile
land, generally of a rolling nature and
well drained. 1t does not grow in
swampy or sterile land. The timber
cut for export ranges in diameter from
ciglttecn inches to six feet, the greater
part being hcwed square by the ma
tives. many of whom are very expert
aXmen. Great care is taken in the
telling to avoid splitting. After Telling
the trunk is cleared Of vines and other
cllnging vegetation and made ready
for hewing. Immense blocks are knock
ed off, one of which would give enough
good mahogany to make an ordinary
dining table. These large pieces are
rarely utilized.
The reason for squaring these logs Is
to secure the maximum of heart tim
Der With all the care taken there is
still waste Of fully II per cent Of the
best heart wood which in the many
millions of feet exported amounts an
nually to an enormous loss to the pro-
Queer. Within few years this waste
full system will he n thing Of the past.
Getting the timber to the streams,
where 1t can be tloated TO a shipping
point. is the most expensive and ar
duous part Of the work, and as timber
Incomes scarcer the longer is the haul
ing distance. Transportation from for
est to stream is done at night by means
OF trained oxen. light being obtained
by means of torches. The work Is done
at night on account of the swarms OF
flies and other insects that torture the
animals by day. The number Of oxen
employed In this work varies accord
ing to the size of the log and the kind
of roads TO be travelled Some logs re-
quire as many rs twenty five yoke OF
oxen. To diminish friction saplngs
about four inches in diameter are fell
cd. cut into four foot lengths and laid
transversely on the road at distance
Of few feet.
Because of the mahogany tree being
top heavy nature has provided it with
braces or what are known 10 the tim
Der men as spurs. which on large tim
Der project from the base of the tree