The Mahogany Tree; Its Botanical Character, Qualities and Uses, with Practical Suggestions for Selecting and Cutting It in the Regions of Its Growth, in the West Indies and Central America with Notices of the Projected Interoceanic  (English, Paperback, Chaloner Fleming, Chaloner, Liverpool Fleming)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...cargo of Cuba and St. Domingo wood will consist principally of table Logs and Curls, with a fair proportion of veneer Logs. It is of importance that these observations be attended to, as the demand for Table Wood is more extensive than for any other purpose. Pembroke tables are made 3 feet 6 inches long, by 21 and 22 inches. The same remarks, as made above, with regard to length, will apply here. Quality, colour, and figure are also requisite, though in a somewhat less degree than in dining-table Wood, and as a less diameter will do, t his is to be considered the leading distinction between them. Chair and Hand-rail, or Joiners' Logs.--Less attention may be requisite to the size, in consideration that it is the plainer Wood which is applied to these purposes; although short lengths will come into use, it is better that the Logs should not be less than 9 feet, and the harder description being applicable for chairs, the width should not be under 15 inches, but, of course, the wider the better; lengths of 7 feet 6 inches, 8 feet, and 8 feet 6 inches, in Logs ofiess diameter, come in for bed pillars, and longer lengths for hand-rails. A Curl is that part of the stem of a tree where the hearts of the branches commence forming, and continue upwards still solidly united. The solid top is then to be cross-cut below where the branches separate and come out, taking care not to leave any inbark at the head of the curl; so that, when perfect, it has the shape of a truncated pyramid, and not that of a Y. Curls, or Feathers as they are also called, are the exception to the value of long over short Logs. Curls are usually accompanied by plain Wood, and although this is less the case in those from the City of St. Domingo, it may be acted on as a general rule..