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shedua, a dark wood found in the dense rain forests.

The species Guibourtia ehie also is known as ehie, ovangkol, anokYe or hueduanini when it comes from Ghana. On the IvorYCoast the wood is called amazoue and amazakoue. Daniellia ogeo, a similar wood from Nigeria called ogea, also is marketed as shedua.

Shedua comes from a large tree with a straight, clear bole that normally extends to at least 60 feet and often to 120 feet.

The sapwood is whitish while the heartwood is yellow brown to chocolate colored with grey to almost black stripes. For comparison, the color is paler and more striking than the Queensland walnut from Australia and darker than that of koa from Hawaii.

The grain is interlocked. The texture moderately coarse. When fresh, the wood has a strong smell which disappears in the drying. The wood weighs about four pounds Per foot when dried.

Tests conducted bY the Forest Service show that shedua dries from the green fairly rapidly with little degrade. For best results stock thicker than one inch should be dried according to a kiln schedule for white oak.

Although hard, shedua is ordinarily easy to work. Quarter-sawn sur-

Story at a Glance

Exotic dark wood from rain for' osls ol Alrlca galnlng PoPu' larlty good characterlstlcs attractlve aPPealance.

faces, however, tendto fuzzuPwhen machined. The wood is suitable for cabinet work, high grade furniture, interior decorative work and turnery. Generally, it is Priced lower than walnut. Shedua, which is striking in appearance with a flair grain, attracts lots of attention.

At present, limited quantities of shedua are being imPorted to meet some of the demand for exotic woods. A favorite of manY wood hobbyists, it also is in demand commercially when the exclusive beauty of an exotic wood is important to a project.

An important commercial use is for interior fixtures in banks and offices where it shows to an advantage in paneling, frames, moulding and custom furniture. Shedua also is a favorite for rifle stocks, often used in place of walnut, and the handles on fishing rods and other custom sports equipment.

Shedua sells well in squares. Retailers find that they can increase sales of it by displaying items crafted from sheduaor hanging an especially lovely piece well finished on the wall.