April 10, 1916 





Practical Mahogany Planting 



Professional foresters who are familiar with tropical forests and 

 forestry are occasionally called upon to furnish practical information 

 in reference to planting and cultivat- 

 ing mahogany trees. The demand for 

 mahogany lumber, especially in the 

 American markets, and the extensive 

 tracts of unused land suitable for grow- 

 ing the American malioganies, serve as 

 an inducement to intelligent landowners 

 and corporations to turn their atten- 

 tion to these trees. For the production 

 of artificial groves, timber belts, and 

 shade for public roads mahogany is pre- 

 eminent over all other varieties of trop- 

 ical American timber trees. It is 

 without doubt among the most profit- 

 able kinds for forestry purposes and is 

 at the same time one of the most widely 

 distributed of all tropical evergreen 

 trees. In its natural range it grows 

 more or less sparingly from Tampieo 

 in Mexico soutliward through Central 

 America into Soutli America and 

 through the principal islands of the 

 West Indies, including the extreme 

 southern portion of the state of Florida. 



Its natural range, however, has been 

 increased to the south by planting. In 

 the Guianas, northern and eastern Bra- 

 zil, the tree has been planted in a small 

 way, chiefly for shade, and grows re- 

 markably well. In East and West 

 Africa small experimental plantations 

 of the American mahogany have also 

 been successfully made, and in India it 

 thrives equally well and makes phenom- 

 enal height growth during the first two 

 decades of its existence. A great many 

 fine trees are now growing in parts of India, Ceylon, and the Sunda 

 Islands. In fact, plantations have been made in the Philippines and 

 also in the Fiji Islands with evident success. Thus far in tropical 

 America mahogany 

 has been planted to a 

 very limited extent 

 for the timber, to a 

 greater extent for 

 shade and ornament. 



Kinds of Mahogany 



There are two dis- 

 tinct species of com- 

 mercial mahoganies 

 growing naturally in 

 tropical America. 

 One is the Spanish 

 or small-leafed ma- 

 hogany (Swietenia 

 mahagoni Jaeq. ) and 

 the other is the Mex- 

 ican or large-leafed 

 mahogany (Swietenia 

 macrophylla KingJ. 

 There is a third kind 

 which some botanists 



YOUNG MEXICAN MAHOGANY TREES GROWING IN 

 TRINIDAD; THEY ARE 21 YEARS OLD. 



MEXICAN MAHOGANY TREES IN PLANTATION 14 YEARS OLD. THE TREES ARE 11 INCHES 

 THROUGH AND HAVE MADE EXCEPTIONAL HEIGHT GROWTH. 



recognize as a distinct species (Sicictenia humilis), but this is a small 

 tree and grows only in the elevated parts of Mexico. It has been 



reported from Venezuela, but its presence there seems doubtful. The 

 Spanish mahogany is usually found growing on the uplands and well- 

 drained areas. It has small leaflets of 

 a dull-green color and an open crown. 

 The wood is hard, heavy, compact, dark- 

 colored, and many of the logs exhibit 

 considerable figure. The Mexican ma- 

 hogany generally grows in the low- 

 lands where the soil is not always well- 

 drained. It has large leaflets of a 

 glossy-green color and a dense broad 

 crown. The wood is comparatively soft, 

 light in weight, and in color somewhat 

 resembling Spanish cedar. Only a small 

 percentage of the logs show figure, but 

 tlie wood works well and darkens with 

 age similar to the Spanish mahogany. 

 The Mexican mahogany has the advan- 

 tage over Spanish mahogany because it 

 grows nearly twice as fast during the 

 first twenty years. For this reason 

 nearly all the plantations consist of the 

 Mexican mahogany, which grows up in 

 a uniform stand and develops long, 

 clear boles. 



The Mexican variety is by far better 

 adapted to widely varying conditions 

 and gives very good results. It will 

 grow in many localities outside of it» 

 natural range of growth without appre- 

 ciaVily affecting its form and rate of 

 growth. The most favorable range for 

 economic planting is in the fertile val- 

 leys and moist slopes of hiUs and 

 mountains in any part of tropical Amer- 

 ica. On upland soils, especially toward 

 the northern limits of its natural 

 range, Mexican mahogany makes a slow 

 growth. In good soil it grows rapidly into trees of noble proportions. 

 Its presence is usually an evidence of good soil, and in Mexico it is 

 often referred to as a " witness tree, ' ' being regarded as a " witness ' ' 



to good soil. The 

 ideal conditions for 

 its growth are found 

 in the rich, moist 

 soil of bottom lands 

 or on fertile hillsides. 

 A calcareous soil or 

 a sandy loam, con- 

 taining a large quan- 

 tity of humus, over- 

 lying a deep subsoil 

 of gravel and a 

 water table in which 

 the long tap-roots 

 can find a normal 

 supply of moisture, 

 furnishes the best 

 conditions for ma- 

 liogany growth. Un- 

 der such conditions 

 the rate of growth is 

 fairly rapid a n d is 

 continued u p t o a 

 mature age. In good situations individual trees have made a diam- 

 eter growth of nearly an inch a year, but under average conditions 



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