694 Forestry Quarterly, 



and being situated in the most accessible places, responding easily 

 to forest management, and being on absolute forest land (swamp 

 lands overflowed by tide water) is bound always to be of great 

 importance. Most important are Tangal (Ceriops sp.), and 

 Bacao or Bacauan (Rhisophora sp.). 



Easily next in importance would come Verhenaceae, supplying 

 the best wood for general utility known in the world. This, of 

 course, is Teak — the only wood placed in the first line in the 

 classification of woods in Lloyd's register, and one which has 

 become the standard for estimating the value of all other woods. 

 It is now being extensively cultivated, and thriving on poor soil, 

 its future is assured. Another valuable member of this family is 

 the Molave of the Philippines. 



Next in importance would probably come the family Lauraceae, 

 supplying Billian, the best wood for wharf piles in the world, and 

 Camphor wood. Then would come the Sterculiaceae and Myrt- 

 aceae, among which are found many very hard, durable, tough 

 woods. In the Myrtaceae is found Mancono which the Philippine 

 Bureau of Forestry believes will prove a satisfactory substitute for 

 lignum vitae in ship building. The Myrtaceae of this district are 

 not nearly so important as in the Australasian region, where mem- 

 bers of the family comprise the great forest wealth — Eucalyptus, 

 etc. 



The Bbenaceae is important as producing the ebonies of com- 

 merce. The Meliaceae yield many valuable furniture woods, etc., 

 but are very limited in amount. The West Indian mahogany 

 (Swietenia sp.), members of this family, have been planted here. 

 The Combretaceae yield several very valuable, fairly hard and 

 durable woods. 



All told, there are described 661 species in 379 genera in 81 

 families. A list of not over a hundred genera could be made to 

 include probably 95 per cent, of the bulk and value of the forests 

 of this extensive region. This, compared to the 52 genera which 

 Dr. Sudworth says comprise the great bulk of American forest 

 trees, gives a fair comparison, although it is true that nowhere are 

 there such extensive stands of only one or two species such as 

 occur in the United States. 



Scientific name, common name, distribution, uses, and charac- 

 teristics of important woods are given, so that the notes are 



