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MOUNTAIN-MAHOGANY (Cercocarpus ledifolius)
Other names: mahogany

GOOD

There are several species of mountain-mahogany but the curl leaf mountain-mahogany discussed here is the most wide spread. This tree is found in the more arid areas from the Rocky Mountains, west into eastern Oregon and Washington. Mahogany is a very slow growing, shrubby tree, with very dense and hard wood. It is usually twisted and ill formed, up to 10" or 12" in diameter, and is believed to have a life expectancy of up to 200 years. The bark of this tree is rough, over a thin sapwood. When dead the wood decays very slowly, becomes brittle and breaks into pieces more than decaying. 

Unfortunately few of the original surveyors marked mahogany. When found the original blaze is only partially healed. even after 100 years. The scribing is badly weathered and hard to detect. The wood is so hard the scribing was probably very shallow originally. If a mahogany is called for search all trees carefully and the broken pieces on the ground. Searching for an obscure mahogany is a laborious task. 

Choose the straightest and best formed mahogany without dead limbs or forks if possible. Blaze through the thin sapwood and use ample pressure when scribing. More than a few scribes have been broken on mountain mahogany!! Keep the blaze as narrow as possible. Painting is recommended but not essential.