There Is Mahogany In The Philippines

(Continued from Page 9.)

Department of Commerce, and written by "John A. Fowler, American Trade Commissioner, in collaboration' with the Director and personnel of The Philippine Bureau of Forestry." In it we find this statement:

"Kalantas lumber is the most important wood used in the manufacture of cigar' boxes. It is practically identical with Spanish Cedar of Mexico and Central America."

This was a business, and not a botanical report, and does not mention the family tree, btrt identifies it with Spanish Cedar, which all authorities, including Prof. Record, place in the Meliaceae or Mahogany family. It shows how important is this species of the Mahogany tree, however. As a matter of fact, the Philippine law requires that all high grade cigars must be shipped in the Kalantas or Calantas (the name is spelled both ways by different authorities but refers to the same tree) box, this because of its cedar odor that protects the contents from vermin.

The physical records of the Philippines show that Kalantas grows profusely in the fslands, is one of their largest and best trees, and the annual production of this species alone ranges from a million and a half to over three million feet annually. It is too soft for furniture or cabinet work, but is ideal for cigar boxes.

So, it seems that this one member of the Mahogany family not only grows in the Philippines, but is a very important wood.

There are several pictures with this article. One of them is an ordinary Philippine cigar box. It is made from Kalantas woo{ which belongs to the Meliaceae or Mahogany Family. It would seem that anyone selling these boxes, or this wood in any shape, would be entirely justified and legally and morally secure, in calling it Mahogany. That it is Philippine Mahogany, pure and simple, seems certain. The pieces of lumber shown are Philippine Mahoganies. Org of them is a piece of Kalantas, bought in the market in Manila. The other is a piece of Maranggo, another member of the Meliaceae or Mahogany Family that grows in the Philippines, probably one of the "other excellent timbers of the Philippines" which Prof. Record refers to in his book, already quoted.

These two specimens were selected from a shipment of these two woods which recently arrived in Los Angeles, at the plant of the Cadwallader-Gibson Comfany. And here is the copy ofa document concerning their identity. Read it:

"Manila, July 25th, 1928. I hereby certify that I have personally inspected in accordance with Bureau of Forestry rules 57 pieces of 949 board feet of lumber at Cadwallader-Gibson's lumber yard,.for shipment to Cadwallader-Gibson Com-

Fir Rates Reduced

Rates on fir lumber from Portland and Willamette valley points to Alturas, Cal., and Lakeview, Ore., will be cut September 9 by the Southern Pacific railway, it was announced recently. The rate to Alturas will be reduced 5 cents per 100 pounds and the rate to Lakeview will be cut 7tf cents.

The reduction is one of the results of the broad-gauging of the Nevada-California-Oregon railway from Wendel to Lakeview and its partial control by the Southern Pacific, it'is stated.

patay at Los Angeles per SS President Lincoln at the request of Cadwallader-Gibson Company on July 25th, 1928, and have found said lumber to be composed of merchantable Maranggo, Merchantable Kalantas. Remarks: Maranggo and Kalantas inspected above are botanically known as Azadirachta integrifoliola Merr., and Toona calantas M. & R., respectively, BOTH OF THE FAMILY MELIACEAE. (Signed) Luis J. Reyes, Bureau of Forestry. Approved, July Zftlr, 1928, Arthur F. Fischer, Directof of Forestry."

Now, folks, this Luis J. Reyes is an authority on botanical woods. His title is Wood Technologist, Bureau of Forestry, Philippine fslands. He is probably as dependable and safe an authority as any other living man, is the author'of books on Philippine woods, and is probably better able to speak for Philippine woods than any other man. Arthur F. Fischer is also an authority on the subject.

And now, folks, we approach the termination of this story-likewise the conclusion-and my conclusions.

Andmy conclusions are-that there ARE trees of the Meliaceae or Mahogany Family growing in the Philippine Islands, and that at least two of them grow there in commercial quantities-one of them in great volume.

And, if this IS a fact-as I have attempted by competbnt authority to prove in the fo,regoing article-then there DOES exist, not in a trade name, but in fact and in truthPHILIPPINE MAHOGANY.

And, if there IS Philippine Mahogany growing in commercial volume in the Philippines, then my surmise is that this famous anti-Philippine Mahogany qase is knocked higher than a cocked hat, regardless of what the Federal Trade Commission, or the Supreme Court. or any other tribunal may decide about the merits of this case as presented.

THINK OF IT ! All a hardwood dealer would have to do under'such circumstances is carry in stock some calantas or other Philippine derivative of the Meliaceae Family, and he would be legally and morally safe in shouting to the four winds of heaven, in his advertising, on his stationery, over his door, on the band of his hat, or anywhere else he saw fit, that he stocked and offered for sale PHILIPPINE MAHOGANY.

And then what becotnes of. your injunction, even though a permanent one were secured?

It tooks from the road as though there were only one question atissue-Is there Mahogahy in the Philippines? And-still from theroadway-it looks as though there IS.

BUT"TE COUNTY I{OO HOO TO HOLD CONCAT AT CHICO

The Butte County Hoo Hoo will hold .a concatenation on Saturday, September 8, at Chico. Vicegerent Snark I. E. Brink has lined up a bunch of kittens for the occasion and a large delegation of lumbermen from Central California and the San Francisco Bay District are planning to attend. James M. Brown, Snark of the lJniverse, and Fred Roth, Supreme Bojum, have been invited to attend.