192 



close grained and heavy, and is said to resist the attacks of both 

 white ants (Termites) and the Teredo worm. It should prove 

 suitable for all purposes where strength and great durability are 

 required. The wood is, however, rather difficult to work. Experi- 

 ments are being undertaken with a view to ascertaining its suit- 

 ability for railway sleepers. 



It attains a large size, up to 20 ft. in girth, with straight stem 

 and few branches, on the moist low lands, and is usually found in 

 company with real mahogany, and very few other trees. A deep 

 and moist soil is required, but with drainage this tree develops 

 rapidly as a seedling. 



(12.) The " Odonomokyukyu," of the Benis, a species of 

 Santiriopsis, probably Santiriopsis Klaineana, Pierre (?), is 

 common in the evergreen forests of this country. The wood is 

 much valued in the French and Belgian Congo, and is sometimes 

 exported to Europe. 



maerni 



leguminous tree, the wood of which has been exported in past 

 years to Liverpool under the trade name of " African Mahogany." 



evergreen 



(14.) The « Agba," of the Benis, an unidentified tree with a 

 light-coloured wood, which has also been exported from the Benin 

 district as a kind of mahogany. It is fairly common in some 

 districts of the Central Province. 



(15.) The " Iroko ", Chlorophora excelsa, Benth., is one of the 

 best timber trees of West Africa. It is most plentiful north of the 

 evergreen belt, and its wood is extensively used on the coast for 

 making furniture and for building purposes. The timber is 

 very durable, hard and of a yellowish colour when fresh, but 

 rapidly darkens to a rich brown and becomes almost black. The 

 grain is straight, though a little fibrous at times. The tree grows 

 ma deep and somewhat moist soil, avoiding a dry one, and the 

 natives say that its roots must reach running water. The value is 

 IL P * e has not ? et been collected, but small seedlings 



™L io S ? en an ? a PP aren % develop quickly. It grows to a 



t?mL IT ■ 8lZe ; ~ t e S reat " Ju J u " tree every where-and some- 

 times attains a girth of 30 ft. though only 80 to 90 ft. in height. 



two I6 «'n J£! "J °f mwo ? d " of Southern Nigeria is procured from 

 S^rZ°lT l ? lm S 8 1 treeB » viz -' Ba l ,hia "«a, Lodd., and 



c^nfineZn M imtorm ^ Wehv ' ; the latter is a la ^ e tree which is 

 connned to the moist evergreen forests. 



beSLTlvt^ be Grubby and appears to 



iLTZlfL C ^7f^ T0 ^ * lla ges. I do not think that it is 



) 



numbers 



has a rich red \L*V " Ba r wo <KV' P'erocarpus tinctorius? 

 market ha J!i f r?!\ W ?_ lcl i ***«* £10 per ton when the 



reduced the wice Tf L? 2 ? ut s^^ent shipments have 

 The natives use u' ao l i *<>t been sent since February, 190a. 

 Trees to be thns nSrt nL e " WO0( ?i' ex P° rfc i»g it especially to Lagos. 



tuns used are usually felled some years before the 



