This wood grows extensively in Bermuda and the Bahama Islands, of which it is a native. It was formerly much used in shipbuilding, and many of the timbers of the Spanish ships taken in the war with Spain were of this species. The wood much resembles the Virginian cedar, both in colour and grain, but there is a difference in the foliage and branches of the trees; in the latter they both point upward, whereas in the former they are either horizontal or drooping.

* 'Forester,' 4th edit., 1871.

The Bermudian cedar is also used for pencils, and for internal joiners' work, as well as for ship-building. The wood is extremely durable, where attention is paid to ventilation, and when freed from the white outside or sap. Instances have been known of its lasting nearly 200 years; and in one case a piece that had been taken quite sound from a house, which had been built nearly 150 years, was worked up as timber for a boat. In salt water, as outside planking for vessels, it may be expected to last about forty years; the objection to it for this purpose being its brittleness and offensive smell when in confined situations. It is used in Bermuda for rafters, bond-timbers, joists, etc.; and when well seasoned, it may be used for doors, window-frames, and sashes. The defect of freshly-hewn timber for this purpose is that it exudes a resinous substance, which defeats all attempts to give it a workmanlike finish. It is not so liable to shrink on seasoning as other kinds of timber, seldom losing more than 1 or 2 lbs. in the cubic foot from the green state. Owing to the great demand for the timber at one time exhausting most of the old timber, it is difficult to procure Bermudian cedar larger than about 8 inches square.

The weight of a cubic foot is about 46 3/4 lbs

According to Fincham's experiments the transverse strength of Bermudian cedar is considerably more than that of American red pine; but from experiments made by others this appears doubtful. It is probably not equal to more than three-fourths as strong as the best red pine timber.