8 AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



CLIMATE. 



The climate is variable. The rainy season begins about the middle 

 of June and lasts until about the middle of November. The rainfall is 

 notsteady. It averaged about twelve days in a month in 1892. In Sep- 

 tember, 1893, it was seven teen days. In 1893 the rains were a little over 

 the average. The temperature ranges, the year round, between 75 and 

 95, rarely getting above 95, and always falling at night to $0 or a 

 little below. The climate is damp and unhealthy near the seaboard. 



GENERAL BUILDING. 



For general building the material commonly used is stone, of which 

 there is an abundance here. It is soft and porous when first dug out 

 of the ground, but hardens by exposure. It is of a light brown color, 

 and lighter than brick. The architecture here is of the old Spanish style, 

 the main entrance being, in some instances, in the back of the house. 



EXTENSION OF LUMBER TRADE. 



As regards the methods of increasing the lumber trade here, compe- 

 tition is needed. There are only two firms here dealing in lumber, 

 which is but a branch of their other mercantile business. A lumber 

 dealer here with sash and door and planing mill would find a good trade. 

 There is nothing of the kind here; no machinery in the colony but 

 "sewing machines," and those are English. There is no shipbuilding 

 nor railroads in the colony. There are no Americans here to introduce 

 American articles. The American goods here are handled by French 

 and English merchants, who know but little of the United States and 

 its people. 



BOLDING BOWSER, 



Consul. 



SIERRA LEONE, January 30, 1894. 



SOUTH AFRICA. 



NATIVE WOODS. 



The principal native woods of South Africa are as follows: Yellow- 

 wood (2 kinds), black and white ironwood, stinkwood, olyreuhout (olive), 

 assagai, white pear, kerschout (candlewood), white alder, etc. None of 

 these woods grow in sufficient quantities to cut any figure in lumber 

 problems, except the following : Yellow wood, which somewhat resembles 

 poplar, though it is harder and has a cross grain, and stiukwood, 

 which is more like our American walnut, and has many colors and 

 shades when polished. 



KINDS OF LUMBER USED. 



As regards the kind of lumber used and preferred here, I would s;i\ 

 that poplar, bass wood, pine shelving, and walnut take the lead. 



