East Indies Timber

Sources of Enormous Supplies Shut Off By Disturbed Conditions

IT was announced in May last that Australian timber merchants in terested in floating a company to ex ploit coniferous forests in South Borneo had been advised by the NEI Govern ment to resubmit proposals made some time previously, but held in abeyance pending a political settlement in Indo nesia.

After that, fighting began in Java, and nothing more appears to have been done.

In view of the acute timber shortage in Australia, the following brief resume, listing the most important timber varieties of Indonesia, may be of interest.

Indonesia is one of the most densely wooded countries in the world. Over 480,000 square miles are covered by forests, offering an ample choice of splendid timbers. In Borneo and Sumatra, in particular, virgin forests abound.

In some regions, over 60 per cent, of the forests belong to the Dipterocarp species; 60 per cent, of others consist of Camphor-wood (Dryobolanops Gaertn).

There are also forests of which 50 per cent, of the trees produce the famous Iron-wood (Belian, Eusideroxylon Zwageri). It has been estimated that as much as 500,000,000 of this latter variety occurs in Borneo alone.

On the island of Java, about 2,000,000 acres are covered with teak forests. Java teak is known the world over for its fit ness for shipbuilding, construction of rail way-carriages, coopery, house building, furniture, sleepers, etc.

Belian, or Borneo Iron-wood (Eusi deroxylon Zwageri, balau, damar laut, pooti, Shorea spec.) and Marbau (Intsia spec.) produce hard, heavy and very dur able timber, suitable for all purposes de manding great strength, resistance and durability. It is used in constructing joists, beams, sleepers, bridges, ship building, etc.

Belian is, owing to its resistance against teredos, in great demand for construc tions in sea-water. Other timbers even more resistant to the attacks of teredos, are lara or nani (Metrosideros spec.) and kolaka (Parinarium crymbosum). A useful product of Belian is the so-called “sirap,” a wooden title for roofing.

Benoean (so-called Borneo teak, Shorea spec.) is closely related to Balau, although it is in general, slightly lighter in weight than the latter. It is also a strong, durable timber and, owing to its attractive appearance, is in great demand for furniture and wainscoting.

Camphor-wood (dryobalanops spec.) and Lagan or Kroewing (Dipterocarpus spec.), known by the name of “apitong” in the Philippine Islands, are two of the most important varieties of the Diptero carpaceae family. They yield strong timbers which are easily worked and can be used where great solidity is essential.

The timber is particularly suitable for floors and solid roofing.

A timber, which was exported in large quantities before the war, is the so called Poenak (Tetramerista glabra), a rather heavy and hard kind of timber of a yellowish colour, which is very suitable for all kinds of heavy construction work.

Red Meranti is the collective name for a number of Shorea varieties yielding a reddish wood of a very pleasing appear ance. The heavy kinds in particular are excellent for furniture, wainscoting, doors, veneer and other fancy work.

Large quantities of these species are shipped from the Philippines under the name of Red Lauan, or Philippines mahogany.

Bawang wood, from Borneo, is also very suitable for making furniture, wains

coting, railway-carriages, etc. This kind of wood, however, belongs to the Meliaceae family, as does the genuine mahogany.

Also excellent for furniture are the so called Indian oak (Quercus sp. div.) and Macassar ebony (Diospyros spec.), which has a fine grain and beautiful marking.