^ANUARV 1, 1886.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



463 



as many as a dozen suckers around the parent stem 

 ami, with one exception (on the Pulueys, where a 

 plant Imd ;itV;iiueil tlie height of 8 feet), the stipe 

 never exceeileil tl>e heijjht of 2 or S feet; anil in 

 the exceptiov;il iii«t;iuee where it hail attained 8 feet 

 there were no suckers around the p:irent stem. Tlie 

 natives eat the fruit, and are partial to it. The 

 fronds are also made use of in various ways, but not 

 t> the same extent as the P/i<(«i> si/(vesteris and 

 PkamU- dacti/lifeia. 



A monstrosity, if I may so term it, ha-s been ob- 

 serveil as ocuuring in a Coconut Palm, in wliich from 

 one of the Uowers on "the spadix, a shoot of spring 

 leaves is thrown out. There is a slijjht tendency to 

 fructification from the llower, and tlion it is con- 

 verted into spring leaves, apparently forming a young 

 shoot. Tliis specimen was taken from a I'oconut tree 

 in the prorince of Travancore. Thi> plant is of the 

 usual size of an ordinary Coconut tree ; but it never 

 puts forth well-developed fruit. On the contrary, 

 the (lowers terminate in vernal leaves ; thus, at an 

 average, each spadix or branch bears about thrity 

 to forty such shoots at a time. The leaves are 

 generally considered by botanists homologues of the 

 llower, altliougli their functions are different, the 

 former being engaged iu the conversion and assimil- 

 ation of food, whilst the latter takes on the otlico 

 of reproduction, but the type of all being the leaf. 

 This frequently occurs in the Jfango-tree, where, 

 from some inherent cause, the tlowers fail to show, 

 and their phice is taken up by the pushing forth 

 of numerous leaves. 



Plants, we know, require a period of rest to form 

 flowers, and this is obtained by the cessation of the 

 action of the leaves and roots for a time. During 

 this period the vegetative activity of the sap is 

 directe>l to the formation of flower-buds ; but should 

 this rest not occur, it continues to produce new 

 leaves and roots in the place <if Uowers. Thus the 

 absence of rain proves sometimes beneficial in arrest- 

 ing the formation of new leaves and roots ; and 

 this favours the production of flowers.— ./ow/na/ of- 

 the Liniuean Societi/. 



♦ 



SUPPLIES OF THE FINER TIMBEKS. 

 The wood exports from India consist chiefly of 

 te!>k and sandal-wood. The following table gives an 

 idea of their importance. (The oflicial years in India 

 end in March). 



ESFOBTB FKOM INDU. 



Sandal-vood. — The revenue derived from sandal- 

 wood in the State forests of Mysore is very large, it 

 baring been a (Jovernmeut monopoly for 50 years. 

 The tree springs up from self-sown seed, and grows 

 luxuriantly in many parts. The cuttings were formerly 

 restricted to 500 tons of growing trees, but iu 1878 

 this was extended to 1,000 tons extra, making 1,500 

 tons in all. The surplus revenue was: — 



Vt-ars. Surplus. Total Receipts. 



l.s:)3-n 12,789 14.079 



ISIS-.W 14,568 10,745 



^rir,■.^.G?, 17,5.58 29,.i,'i2' 



l,S|-,:!.73 23.147 34,2^) 



In 1873-79, the sales in Mysore were 1,0S0 tons, 

 at an average of nearly £34 a ton. In the fnllowing 

 year 1,39B{ tons were sold at £35 a ton, bringing 

 in a net profit of £39,431. The marked maturity of the 

 tree is judged to be a« soon as possible after the 



formation of the heart-wood. The crop value of a 

 fully stocked sandal plantation, cut at 40 years, sup- 

 t>>.siug it at that time to contain 100 mature trees 

 per acre, of a net value of £;j each, will be £300 per 

 acre. The demand for sandal-wood in Europe is 

 inexhaustible, but it is chiefly sent from Bombay to 

 China, where it is used for ornamental work of 

 various kinds. 



Indian blackwood (ViMergia latif'iliii), generally 

 called rose-wood among timber merchants and wurkmen, 

 is used for furniture; but it is not much iu deniaud. 

 ThtM-<^ are plenty of trees of it in the fiin-st of Mysore. 

 Tin: wood is sound and ruus large so that excellent 

 slabs and planks can be got from it. l<"rom Siam 

 37,217 piculs (of 1\ cwt.) of this blackwood were 

 sbi[iii«d in 1870. In 1882, ornamental Indian woods 

 to tile value of £78,281 were sent to various Presidency 

 ports, chiefly Kiuubay. What is known as Moulmeiu 

 cedar is the Toon w(tod of India {('rdrvht toona), 

 niuversally used there for furniture of all kinds. It 

 fi'tclies in Uurmah about £0 a ton. If sent in well 

 stjuared hewn logs about 15 inches sijuare and 12 feet 

 and upwards in length, it would fetich nearly 3s. a 

 cubic foot, as a substitute for mahogany. In Uengal, 

 Assam and Hurmah it grows to a very large size, 

 trees, 20 feet girth with a height of SO to 140 feet 

 of clear stem, being not uncommon in forests v/hich 

 have been little worked, like those in Dumsong a!ul 

 some parts of the Ohittagong hill tracts. 



If it can be delivered iu any large quantity at 

 Obittagong or some IJurmeso port, it might bo pro- 

 fitable to send shipments to Londou, though exports 

 from the forests of Northern India are out of the 

 question. The S.al timber {Shon'i rohu.sta ), for which 

 Bengal has been so famous, exists largely in most 

 of the forest areas. In past days there was much 

 unnecessary destruction and irreparable waste of these 

 trees, and it may be doubted whether the timber 

 resources of the eonntry are now equal to its pro- 

 spective demand. The boondri trees {HeriliciYt sp.) 

 of the Soonder-bnus furidsh the best wood for the 

 boats which are built in such great numbers through- 

 out Eastern Bengal. Time would fail to permit me 

 entering into detail on oth.er Indian woo<ls. 



Orylon. — The timber trade of this island ought to 

 keep up and increase in importance for a long series 

 of years to come. Their extensive forests, of the 

 more valuable kinds of wood, are as yet practically 

 untouched iu the Central province, and a proper 

 system of conservation ought to render them comparat- 

 ively permanent sourc(>s of revenue to the colony. 



New South "WauEs. — The reported area of woods 

 and forests under the care of the conservator iu this 

 colony, amounted in ISSl to 3,759, 70i) acres, and 

 the timber cut from them during the year was 

 stated at 3,923,727 feet, from which a revenue of 

 £10,156 was derived. 



It is impossible here to enumerate or describe even 

 the principal woods of this colony. The llooiled gum 

 is remarkable for its durability as a shiplnulding 

 wood ; specimens taken from a steamer plying incessantly 

 for twenty years, were .as sou'ul throughout as when 

 built. Black iron-bark [Eucult/ptiis Iti'CM.ri/lon) is a 

 wood of great merit for strength and durability, very 

 hard and of good colour, but enotniously heavy. It 

 is very useful to the coachmaker and wheelwright, 

 and is also valu.able for many purposes iu shipbuilding. 

 The blackwood {Acacia melaiio.ii/lo7i) is a magnificent 

 wood for every description of cabinet work, as it 

 has a beautifully marked richly-coloured grain, which 

 takes a polish freely, and gives an elVect not even 

 surpassed by walnut, to which it has many points of 

 similarity. It is very close graincil and heavy, and 

 is useful for all purposes where lightness, combined 

 with strength and flexibility, are required. It is 

 Largely used by coachbuilders in the colony in evi^y 

 department of their trade. Tuli|) wood (Iln' pnli'm 

 jtendula) is a largo tree, 50 to 60 feet high, with a 

 diameter of 14 to 24 inches. The timber is very 

 strong, beautifully marked with dilferent shades, from 

 black to yellow. It takes a good pcdish, and is much 

 esteemed for cabinet work. 



