SATIN-WOOD. The Swietenia chloroxylon furnishes this cabinet-wood. It is haTd, and when polished is very beautiful, with a satiny lustre.
It is much used for picture-frames, rivalling :bird's-eye maple of America. It is occasionally used by cabinet-makers for general furniture, but it is liable to split. Satin-wood grows chiefly in mountainous districts of Southern India and Ceylon. It is abundant in the hills of the Vizag apatam and Ganjam Circars, though log,s seldom exceed eight inches diameter. Very fine satin wood occurs at Kutapatti, in the Tengrikottah taluk of Salem. It is used for mallets, also for the naves of gun carriage wheels, and is the best suited of all the Indian woods for fuses. The price is nearly the same as that of teak and black wood. Colonel Frith mentions a satin-wood of Penang, of a straw colour, and a beautiful wood for ornamental furniture, etc. ; but it is not known what satin-wood tree grows there. The best
variety is the 'West Indian, imported front St. Domingo in square logs and planks frotn 9 to 20 inches wide ; the next in quality is the East Indian, shipped from Singapore and Bombay in round logs from 9 to 30 inches diameter ; and the most inferior is from New Providence, in sticks from 3i to 10 inches square. The wood is close, not so hard as boxwood, but somewhat like it in colour, or rather more orange ; some pieces are very beautifully mottled and curled. It was much in fashion a few years back for internal decoration and furniture ; it is now principally used for brushes, and somewhat for turning ; the finest kinds are cut into veneers, which are then expensive. The Nassau wood is generally used for brushes. The wood has an agreeable scent, and is sometimes called yellow sanders - wood.
; Mr. Rohde, MSS. ; Cleghorn ; Col. Frith ; Tredoold.