In article , George@least says...
Nope, reason it's not done is that if you get the slightest racking stress,
you crack your short-grained "apron." Now if you had full-length aprons -
all the way to the floor, box or dovetail carcass joinery would be fine.


Take a 1 1/2 piece a foot long and smack it in the middle. Dollars to
dogturds it breaks.

Aside from the strength issues, it will just look somewhat "wrong".
Even if people can't put their finger on it, something will just feel
off about the table. Certainly mahogany grain will not be as pronounced
as the butternut or a wood like oak, so perhaps it won't be too
noticeable.