ianes and Palauan Islands.

_Sapan-wood_ (_Caesalpina sappan_) (Tagalog, _Sibucao_, or _Sapang_),
of an inferior quality compared with the Pernambuco wood, is a
Philippine product found in most of the large islands. It is a short,
unattractive tree, with epigeous branches spreading out in a straggling
manner. The leaves are small and sparse. The wood is hard, heavy,
crooked, and full of knots. It sinks in water, and is susceptible
of a fine polish. It is whitish when fresh cut, but assumes a deep
red colour on exposure to the air. The only valuable portion is the
heart of the branch, from which is taken a dye known in the trade as
"false crimson," to distinguish it from the more permanent cochineal
dye. The whole of the colouring-matter can be extracted with boiling
water. It is usually shipped from Manila and Yloilo as dunnage,
a small quantity coming also from Cebu. For figures of _Sapan-wood_
shipments, _vide_ Chap, xxxi., "Trade Statistics."

The _Saps_ of certain Philippine trees serve to give a polished
coating to the smoothed surface of other woods. The kind which I
have experimented with most successfully is that of the _Ipil_ tree
(_Eperna decandria_). This gives a glazed covering very similar to
Japan-ware varnish. It takes better to the wood in a cold climate than
in the tropics. I have tried it both in the Philippines and in Europe.

_Dye Saps_ are also numerous--for instance, that of the species
_Marsedenia_, called in Bicol dialect _Payanguit_ and _Aringuit_,
with which hemp can be dyed blue; the juice of the skin of a root,
known in Bicol as _Morinda_, is used for dyeing hemp red; the sap
of the _Talisay_ tree (_Terminalia mauritiana_) gives a black dye,
and that of the _Calumpit_ tree (_Terminalia edulis_) is a good
straw-coloured dye.

_Hardwoods_.--These Islands are remarkably rich in valuable
timber-trees. For some of the details which I will give of the
properties and applicability of the varieties in general demand,
I am indebted to Mr. H. G. Brown (of H. G. Brown & Co. Limited,
[148] steam saw-mill proprietors in Tayabas Province), admitted to
be the most experienced person in this branch of Philippine trade.

_Aranga_ (_Homalium_) gives logs up to 75 feet long by 24 inches
square. It is specially used for sea piling and all kinds of marine
work which is subject to the attacks of sea-worm (_Teredo navalis_).

_Acle_ (_Mimosa acle)_ gives logs up to 32 feet by 28 inches square. It
is strong,