Forestry in German Colonies. 635 



rule furnishing wood of the same description. The most promis- 

 ing, Jentsch thinks, are the oak-Hke or teak-Hke, and pitch pine- 

 hke, Chlorophora, Milletia, Bongongi, Irwingia Barteri. If these 

 could be laid down in Hamburg in large dimensions for 40 to 50 

 cents, which is not impossible, they would successfully compete 

 with American oak, which brings now 40 to 60 cents, and in large 

 dimensions up to $2 and more, or with teak worth 65 cents to $2 

 per cubic foot. 



In mahogany woods, the African, although lower for com- 

 mon run, is for the best, now higher than the American of the 

 genuine Swietenia. While common African brings only 28 cents 

 and American around $1, the maximum prices are near $2 for 

 African as against $1.30 for American. 



Several cedar-like species also are promising. Here Dr. Jentsch 

 makes the curious mistake of mixing up pencil-cedar (Juniper- 

 us) and the cigar box cedar (Cedrela odorata), which is not a 

 conifer. 



In the original woods, the average height is around 150 feet, 

 and diameters run from 3 to 10 feet. On one sample area of 

 I 1-4 acres not less than 93 species over 3 inch diameter were 

 found. The largest volume out of 12 sample areas showed 14,- 

 270 cubic feet, of which a little over 5,000 feet were sawtimber; 

 in another case, the total volume was 12,700 cubic feet with 

 6,000 feet available. One of the largest trees had a diameter 

 of 7 feet and a height of nearly 200 feet with a timberwood con- 

 tent of 2,577 cubic feet. Lack of knowledge of technical and com- 

 mercial values precludes an estimate of merchantable quantities, 

 which is, however, estimated at 50 per cent. 



The forest of the coastbelt which so far alone is needful to con- 

 sider can be divided into three types : the mangrove forest, the 

 primary and the secondary forest. 



The primary or virgin forest is particularly rich in species. 



After the virgin woods have been exploited and, as usual, 

 burned, a secondary forest growth comes in, as with us. The 

 secondary forest which results from the practice of burning and 

 agricultural use is entirely different from the virgin : rapid, light- 

 needing species, with soft wood predominate here, with a luxuri- 

 ant undergrowth of climbers and lianas and weedgrowth forming 

 impenetrable thickets. The most common species which, like our 



