LO-t
TIMBER AND ORNAMENTAL WOOES, IMPORTS OF.
[Class IV.
merits attention, and promises to be available for severalpurposes in the arts. The specimens of shola are accom-panied by various illustrations of the uses to which it isapplied in India , including life-buoys, boxes, bottle-cases,and hats. From its loosely-cellular structure it is a veryhad conductor of heat, and this, together with its greatlightness, admirably fits it for the manufacture of hats.Shola is also used advantageously for purposes of orna-ment, and very beautiful models of temples and othereastern buildings are exhibited, which possess all theappearance of ivory, but with even more softness anddelicacy of surface. These specimens were deemed worthyof Honourable Mention.
Rice paper, made from the pith of Aralia papyrifera ,from China , is likewise shown.
Two good series of specimens of prepared amadou, orGerman tinder, the leathery base of a fungus (Boletusigniarius\ are exhibited, namely, in the Austrian col-lection, by Bachiuch (45a, p. 1009), and in the ZollvereinDepartment by F. A. Becker Sapp & Co., of Fredeburg(471, p. 1078\ These were each deemed worthy ofHonourable Mention.
Section VII.- Timber and Ornamental Woods.
The collection of timber and other woods, taken as awhole, is remarkably complete and interesting; andthough in many instances it is obviously impossible forthe Jury to enter into the consideration of individualwoods, or to do more than enumerate the varieties of thespecimens shown, and even difficult in all cases to dothat,—yet they considered it desirable to prepare as com-plete a list as possible of the various single collectionsincluded in the Exhibition, so as to form, as far as waspracticable, a catalogue of the chief woods of differentcountries. The Jury would especially draw attention tothe very interesting and valuable collections of EastIndian woods (p. 885); the complete and well-arrangedcollection of W. W. Saunders (Class IV., p. 196*); theseries of fine specimens shown by Messrs. Fauntlkroy ;the very instructive and excellent specimens exhibited byMessrs. Lawson (1*35, pp. 205*, 206*), and by' the FrenchMinister of War (p. 1262) in the Algerian collection ofraw produce. Highly valuable, also, are the series ofCanadian ; Australian, and other colonial woods ; and thenumerous collection of the •woods of Cuba , &c. Sc c.
The total annual importation of timber into GreatBritain is nearly two million loads, or one hundred
million of cubic feet, entered under the several designa-tions of timber or unsawn wood, deals and planks orsawn wood, teak, staves, and lathwood.
The following Table shows the countries from whichwood was chiefly imported in the year 1849 :—
Timber.
Deals.
Tesk.
Staves.
Lath-
wood.
41,419
173,586
_
325
15,539
28,679
79,843
-
150
1,119
Nor wav — —
28,930
50,805
-
95
103
Prussia - -
117,470
35,006
-
19,213
6,169
2.441
68
—
1,012
_
Tuscanv - -
2,299
9
-
-
-
Papal Territories
2,106
3
-
—
—
1
—
9,596
-
—
British India —
1
2
17,459
56
_
977
540
1
4
—
578,748
408,572
9
45,614
14,813
4
19
4
103
—
13.832
&39
-
13,309
_
Miscellaneous -
1,002
491
633
36
;77
Total Loads -
817,909
809,783
27,702
79,917
37,800
! Of the chief woods employed in ship-building, seven1 have been acknowledged as first-rate by' the authorities at1 Lloyd’s; and to this number must now be added anj eighth, namely, iron-bark, which has, in fact, only beeni admitted as a first-class wood since the period of opening; the Exhibition in May, 1851. These eight woods are —
5. Fast Indian teak.G. Green-heart.
7. Morra.
8. Iron-bark.
The collection of woods from all parts of the world,exhibited by W. W. Saunders (9), is particularly valuablefrom its extent and arrangement, the woods being allwell labelled and classified according to their geographicaldistribution. The value of this collection is greatly en-hanced by the density and weight per cubic foot of eachwood being given. The Jury awarded a Prize Medal forthis series, the value of which is considerably increasedby the following classified catalogue:—
NAME.
Place of Growth.
Weight
per
Cubic Ft.
Specific
Gravity
No.
in Cata-logue.
Abele. See Populus.
lbs.
07 ..
Abies excelsa (spruce fir ) - -
Acacia. See Robinia.
27
2
•434
31
Acacia (?) — — — - -
Mortlake - -
47
6
•758
Acer campcstre (maple) - -
37
1
•593
84
j > ? > ” —
Epping - -
37
13
*605
562
Acer pseudo-platanus (syca-more) .
JEsculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut).
Wandsworth —
34
11
* 555
598
} y — —
24
o
•386
895
Epping - -
29
15
•479
540
i i y y y i
Alder. See Alnus.
24
15
•439
25
j y ~ ~
23
8
•376
45
Apple. Sec Pyrus.
Epping - -
26
o
•418
543
Arbutus unedo (Arbutus) -
“
44
12
•716
50
y y y y — —
Ash, common. See Fraximus.
Lakes of Kil-larncy.
45
0
•726
373
mountain. See Pyrus.
REMARKS.
Used for scaffold poles, ladders, commoncarpentry', &c.
Used for ornamental work when knotted ; itmakes the best charcoal; and turns well.
Specimen from the lower part of the mainstem of a young tree.
Used in dry carpentry; turns well; andtakes a fine polish.
Used for inlaying toys, turner)*, and drycarpentry.
From the stem of a young and vigorous tree.
Used for common turnery work, &c.; andlasts long under water, or buried in theground.
Specimen taken near the ground.
Hard, close-grained, and occasionally usedby' turners.