'64 TREE PLAXTIXG IN RHODESIA. 



Indigenous Trees. — This article would not be complete with- 

 out reference being made to our native trees, and I therefore 

 propose to make a few remarks thereon. I am firmly of the 

 opinion that several of our indigenous trees are well worthy of 

 cultivation under forest conditions; in the Wood Museum at 

 the Matoppos there are forty-seven specimens of native timbers. 

 These have not been treated in any way. and have been cut ver- 

 tically, diagonally, and horizontally, in order to show the various 

 grains. Most of these have now been cut from four to six years ; 

 out of this number twelve have been attacked by borers and 

 eaten right through, and six have been attacked in the sap-wood 

 only, whilst the remainder are intact and in excellent preservation. 

 Experiments are about to be made to test their durability in the 

 ground, and their resistance to ants and decay. 



. Of the more valuable species I might mention AfzilUa ciian- 

 sensis (Rhodesian Mahogany). This is a valuable furniture wood, 

 and should be extensively grown ; a small plantation of these has 

 been laid out. They are very slow growing for the first two 

 seasons ;. there are a few trees five feet in height. 



Bolnsanthes-speciosiis (Rhodesian Wisteria). — A good hard 

 wood ; is considered to be as durable as Sneezewood as a fencing 

 post, and at present fetches the highest price up here for that 

 purpose. The Rev. Mr. Helm, of Hope Fountain had, a couple 

 of posts of this tree in the ground for twenty years as part of 

 a belfry, and when he was removing the bell to another site he 

 had them taken up, but found them in such splendid condition 

 that he arranged for their removal to the new site, and there 

 they have remained for the last thirteen }'ears, making a total 

 of thirty-three years in all, and they are apparently in as sound 

 condition to-day as when first cut. There is a small plantation 

 of these trees in the Matoppos, the present height being about 

 four feet. They were sown about two seasons ago. 



Faurca saligna (Transvaal Beukenhout ; Terblantz of the 

 Cape).^ — This is a fine straight evergreen tree, sixty feet in height; 

 the timber is largely used for cabinet work, and is much prized. 



Olea verrucosa (Wild Olive). — A small plantation of these 

 .trees is doing well, the plants being first raised in nursery beds. 

 This tree attains a height of twenty to thirty feet, is very valuable 

 for furniture, tools and wagon-work ; it is, however, slow-growing. 

 Fterocarpus Anyolensis (Kajatenhout). — This is a very 

 handsome tree ; wood fairly hard. The tree attains a height of 

 forty to fifty feet ; the timber is suitable for furniture, tool- 

 handles, &c. 



Fterocarpus sericens (N'dhlandlovu). — A handsome tree 

 forty to fifty feet in height; its timber useful for wagon-work, 

 -disselbooms, &c. 



TerniinaUa sericea (Rhodesian Yellow Wood — Assegaihout). 

 — This tree furnishes one of the most durable fencing posts, and 

 for building purposes can hardly be surpassed, provided it is 

 properly seasoned. A fine young plantation of this species is 



