The history of Sumatra : $b Containing an account of the government, laws, customs and manners of the native inhabitantsMarsden, William
History
The history of Sumatra : $b Containing an account of the government, laws, customs and manners of the native inhabitants
Marsden, William
Natural history -- Indonesia -- Sumatra; Sumatra (Indonesia)
Kayu arau (Casuarina littorea) is often termed a bastard-pine, and as
such gave name to the Isle of Pines discovered by Captain Cook. By the
Malays it is usually called kayu chamara, from the resemblance of its
branches to the ornamental cowtails of Upper India. It has been already
remarked of this tree, whose wood is not particularly useful, that it
delights in a low sandy soil, and is ever the first that springs up from
land relinquished by the sea.
The rangas or rungi, commonly supposed to be the manchineel of the West
Indies, but perhaps only from the noxious quality of its juices, is the
Arbor vernicis of Rumphius, and particularly described in the Batavian
Transactions Volume 5 under the name of Manga deleteria sylvestris,
fructu parvo cordiformi. In a list of plants in the same volume, by F.
Norona, it is termed Anacardium encardium. The wood has some resemblance
to mahogany, is worked up into articles of furniture, and resists the
destructive ravages of the white ant, but its hardness and acrid sap,
which blisters the hands of those employed about it, are objections to
its general use. I am not aware of the natives procuring a varnish from
this tree.
Of the various sorts of tree producing dammar, some are said to be
valuable as timber, particularly the species called dammar laut, not
mentioned by Rumphius, which is employed at Pulo Pinang for frame timbers
of ships, beams, and knees.
Kamuning (camunium, R. chalcas paniculata, Lour.) is a light-coloured
wood, close, and finely grained, takes an exquisite polish, and is used
for the sheaths of krises. There is also a red-grained sort, in less
estimation. The appearance of the tree is very beautiful, resembling in
its leaves the larger myrtle, with a white flower.
The langsani likewise is a wood handsomely veined, and is employed for
cabinet and carved work.
Beside these the kinds of wood most in use are the madang, ballam,
maranti, laban, and marakuli. The variety is much greater, but many, from
their porous nature and proneness to decay, are of very little value, and
scarcely admit of seasoning before they become rotten.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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