TEAK, Tectona grandis.
Sagwan, . . HIND. I Tek maram, . TAM.
Jati, . . . . MALAY. j Teku chettu, . . TEL.
The teak tree grows in the southern and western parts of the Peninsula of India, in Malabar, in Canara in the Wynad, in the forests of the Animallay Hills, also in Burma, N. Siam, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, Sumbawa, Lao, and the Shan States. Between Japara and Sourabaya several extensive teak forests occur. But Java is the only island in the Archipelago possessing teak forests which are available to any extent for the purpose of ship-building. In Sumatra, Celebes, and Sumbawa, the forests are so far distant from the sea, that the expense of land carriage prevents the natives from deriving any great advantage from its use. Teak is not known to inhabit the Malayan Peninsula. The teak forests in Pegu and Amherst, also those of the Wynad and Godavery, are extensive. The tree grows to a great size, attaining maturity in about eighty years, and is the best wood in India for ship thnber, house-carpentry, or any other work where strong and durable wood is required.
Godavery teak varies much in density ; much of it is finely veined ; generally it is heavier than the Rangoon teak, but not 'equal to some from the Malabar coast.
Upon the whole, the Malabar teak seems the best. That of Rangoon is lighter and more open in the grain, and iB preferred for masts and spars. The dark or heavy teak of the mountains border ing on the Godavery is very little if at all inferior to the Malabar, but a good deal of the Godavery teak is very open-grained.
The sap-wood is white and small ; the heart wood, when cut green, has a pleaaant and strong aromatic fragrance and a beautiful dark golden yellow colour, which on seasoning soon darkens into brown, mottled with darker streaks. It is moderately hard,'exceedingly durable and strong, does not split, crack, warp, shrink, or alter its - shape ; when once seasoned works easily, and take.s
a good polish. A cubic foot, when seasoned, averages 42 lbs. It does not suffer if in contact with iron, and is rarely if ever attacked with white ants. It is used for house and ship build ing, for bridges, sleepers, furniture, and is also exported from India— Cubic Tons. Value Rs. Cubic Tons. Value Rs.
1874-75, 42,868 32,85,640 1879-80, 38,420 28,19,596 1875-76, 60,612 44,06,182 1880-81, 65,626 50,00,46C 1877-78, 56,939 40,66,524 1882-83, 59,187 61,12,597 Linseed oil applied to teak brings out the veins of the wood very beautifully. For ship-building purposes, teak is superior to every other sort of wood, being light, strong, durable, whether in or out of water. The ships of war built of this timber were— Ships of the Line.—Minden, Cornwallis, Melville, Malabar Wellesley, Ganges, Asia, Bombay, Cal cutta, liastings.
Frigates. — Salsette, Amphitrite, Trincomalee, Seringapatarn, Idadagascar, Andromeda, Alligator. Samarang, Herald.
Sloops.—Vietor, Chameleon, Sphynx, Cochin.
Teak wood is used as a rib-lining of the arches in the caves of Karli, and is said to be coeval with their formation, about two thousand years ago. Pliny states that the beams in the temple of Apollo at Utica were in perfect preservation in his time, though they had then endured 1178 years. The teak furnishes an opaque, dull ash coloured oil, which separates into two layers, an upper or dark-coloured clear stratum, and a lower and more solid deposit. Its chief IMO is for ap plying to wood-work of all sorts, either alone as a natural varnish, or in combination with certain resins.
A concretion of lime or gypsum is occa sionally found in the shake of the teak.-31. Ex. J. R. Record s ; Govt. of India F. D. Conservators' Reports; Mr. Earl; 3/r. Gamble.