The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-07
MAHOGANY PEER
OR HARD WOODS
It's Importation and Use Elk
ceedS All Other Trees
PRICE WITHIN FAIR PROFIT
Central America Supplies ABOut 05.6
Per Cent OF worlds PrOduct-FOr-
Since Spanish War-Best of Hard
woods for FiaiShing Purposes.

For refined expression IN the manufac-
ture OF furniture and all other forms Of
interior decoration, mahogany is I'M
doubtedly the peer OF the hardwoods
No wood is so universally used for this
purpose IN every city and country Of the
world; no wood is so freely and success
fully initiated
Americas architects and men OF the
furniture and cabinetmaking industries
draw heavily upon the markets OF the
world in the struggle to supply an ever
increasing demand for genuine mahogany
Hundreds Of tons OF logs annually are
imported into this country and worked in
to beautiful forms 10 grace fine homes
or dignity the interior Of public buildings.
large hotels. or railway cars.
Is n Very Precious Wood.
A few years ago mahogany was re-
garded as a very precious wood. and was
employed only in the Interior OF the finest
houses and in the manufacture OF the
most expensive furniture. During the
past few years. however, there has been
a wonderful development IN mahogany
importation and use
The total quantity Of mahogany i'm
ported last year was nearly 100000
board feet. OF this large amount North
America supplied SIS per cent and Europe
IS per cent.
Though Europe supplied only a little
more than one-fourth as much mahogany
as there was imported from North Ameri-
ca It's average value per 1000 feet
was more than twice as much. due 10
finer quality. The remainder OF the I'm
ports come from Africa, South America,
and Asia
Mexico Furnishes 1862 Per Cent.
Mexico furnished 49, per cent OF the
mahogany coming from North America
Nicaragua followed with 1872 per cent.
British Honduras with 15.5 per cent, Cuba
with S per cent, and Honduras with "a
per cent. Other Central American couu-
tries furnished the small remaining per-
centage.
Immediately following the war with
Spain. lumbermen OF the United States
exploited the largest and most accessible
OF the Cuban mahogany forests. For a
few years the forests Of Cuba contributed
more largely 10 the supply in this coun-
try than at the present time, largely
owing 70 the rapidity with which this
valuable timber was logged and shipped.
An engineer employed by American au-
thOrities during the recent intervention
IN Cuba claims that nearly all Of the
available supply Of mahogany Of that
island has been exhausted and that what
now remains in any considerable quaint
ties is far remote from transportation
facilities.
Buyers Seek II Constantly.
The number OF buyers OF mahogany in
this country's hardwood market Is now
exceeded only by those or oak. maple,
poplar, Eastwood. ash. birch. chestnut.
and cypress. The principal reason for
the popularity Of mahogany is that the
Importers OF the logs and the manufac-
turers Of lumber have never advanced its
prices beyond a modest profit, and IL Is
relatively so low that II now makes 1T
tie difference in price whether an Office
building or a room is finished in mahog-
any or quarter sawed white oak
Another reason for ito popularity is be-
cause il improves I'm tone with age After
much experimentation car builders I'm
ished practically all their cars In rnahog-
any, as ii withstands satisfactorily the
severe usage and also holds its finish
AA+N NAAANA NNEAtNAH o. A44e%44lEe1llE nllpNt "a
ton and manufacture are Boston. New
York. Louisville. New Orleans. Chicago,
and Indianapolis.
It's Botanical Relations.
The mahogany is the wood Of a tree OF
Swietenia. Of the natural family OF Cedre-
laceae. named joaquin in honor Of J. Van
Swieten. The tree is one Of the most
majestic and beautiful with large spread
Ing head and pinnate shining leaves. The
trunk is often forty feet in length and six
feet in diameter and is divided into
many massive arms.
In the London Timber and Trade Jour
nal there appeared recently an interesting
historical reference TO the mahogany
trade According 10 this writer mahogany
wood was first imported in I724, al
though in 1897 Sir Walter Raleigh demon
strated the great value OF this wood
which was used in repairing his ships al
Trinidad From 1924 until the discovery
OF the mahogany forests Of Africa by
Stanley, England and Continental Eur
ope were heavy purchasers Of mahogany
from the West Indies, Honduras, and
Mexico.
A great part Of the mahogany used in
this country in early years came from
Europe, it having first reached there
fom the West Indies. Mexico and Hon
duras