*5.4.1 Timber*

Neem is a member of the mahogany family. It is moderately heavy, with a specific gravity varying from 0.56 to 0.85 (average, 0.68). With a strong smell when freshly cut. Although simply sawn, worked, refined, and glued, it must be dried wisely as it often splits and warps. It also splits easily and nailed. However, it is widely used in carts, tool handles, and agricultural implements. In South India became very common furniture wood. It is aromatic, attractively spotted, narrowly linked, and then medium to be coarse in texture. Although it lends itself to carving, it does not take a high polish. The timber appeared durable even in exposed situations. It is rarely attacked by termites, its resistant to woodworms, and makes useful fence posts and poles for house construction. Also used as pole wood especially in developing countries; the tree's capability to resprout after cutting and to regrow its canopy after pollarding makes neem highly suited to pole production. In view of the above, those rigorous activities have threatened its population as well [6].
