I know cocus wood (Brya ebenus) is a hot topic right now . . . what, with the big allergy survey on woodenflute and all.
Anyway, I did a Google! search for cocus and found its entry in the International Legume Database and Information Service. Interestingly, it claims (with references) that the geographical distribution of our cocus is three islands in the Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and India.
I’ve always heard that cocus is so rare because it was a West Indies native that was so heavily deforested by the British. India? Is that replanting, or does it also naturally grow there?
Cocus from these regions has been around for a long, long time.
In his 1889 treatise, Rockstro wrote in sec. 313:
“The Cocus-wood of Jamaica gives a splendidly brilliant and powerful tone. This wood is extremely hard and resinous…it has an exceedingly handsome appearance when newly turned…”
In sec, 315 he writes:
“Cuban and South american Cocus-wood … has for many years been employed for the manufacture of flutes. It is excellent for tone production, though its sound is scarcely so brilliant and so powerful as that of the Jamaica cocus, or so sweet as that of box. Of all the known woods it is no doubt the most suitable for flutes…”
He mentions a flute made for him by Rudall, Carte and Co. in 1874 “which has been in constant use ever since, is now even better than when it was new.”
This might explain why the old flutes sound better and more mature than the new ones of today.
David, the part that surprised me was India, not the West Indies.
Shoner, I think Pat Olwell told me his stuff comes from Jamaica. I know it is grown in Cuba, but that timber would only be illegally accessible to those of us in the US.
Stu, point well made about India. I see no reference to it, although I’d not be surprised if it was xplanted years ago. Don’t forget, some of the best boxwood of the day came from India (which is nearly non-existent now). That was considered best, followed by European boxwood. I’d imagine the southern waterside Gulf reaches of India might be good for cocus growth since some of the best grenadilla (which is what they called South American cocus back then) comes from the off-coast islands of eastern Africa.
Pat does use Jamaican cocus (the headpiece he made for my Rudall is made of that).