FOREST. 



FORKST. 



dom of Aum, Bengml (along the coast particularly), the mountain* of 

 Tipn. and Malabar, abound in wood : the latter produces teak. In the 

 Binnan empire there are magnificent forests of the last-named valuable 

 tree, together with white sandal-wood, eagle-wood, iron-wood, ebony, 

 sycamore, Indian fig, fan-palms, bignonias, cocoas, and sago-palms ; as 

 HO fine groves of orange, lime, Ac. 



The uia*s of the foncta of the Sikkim Himalayas, according to Dr. 

 J. D. Hooker, oammencei at about the height of 6000 feet, where the 

 agriculture of the country terminate* in accent ; and i* formed of 

 (1) three species of oak, of which y. annnlata !, with immense lamel- 

 lated acorn*, and leaves 10 inchei long, is the tallest and the most 

 abundant ; (3) Cbecnut; (S) Ltmrixea of aereral species, all beautiful 

 fore*t-tre*, straight-boled and umbrageous abore ; (4) Magnolias. 

 Many specie* of MayttoliacHr (inclmling the genera Magnolia, M 

 and Talattma) are found in Sikkim. Magnolia Campbtilii, which 

 grow* at 10,000 feet elevation, is the most superb species known. 

 " In books on botanical geography," Dr. Hooker remarks, " the mag- 

 nolia* are considered as must abounding in North America, east of the 

 Rocky Mountains; but this is a great mistake, the Indian mountains 

 and islands being the centre of this natural order." (5) Arborescent 

 rhododendrons, which commence here with the R. arboreum. At 8000 

 and 9000 feet of altitude a considerable change is found in the vegetation, 

 the gigantic purple Magnolia Campbtilii replacing the white ; chcsnut 

 disappears, ami several laurels : other kinds of maple are seen, with 

 RJtududendron aryaitetnn and Stauntoaia, a handsome climber, which 

 ha* beautiful pendant clusters of lilac blossoms. At 10,000 feet, as 

 exemplified on the top of the mountain called Tonglo, a great number 

 of additional species of plants are found, and all betoken a rapid 

 approach to the alpine region of the Himalaya. In order of prevalence 

 the trees are, the scarlet Rkododmdron arooretim and R. barbutuut, :\* 

 large bushy trees, 30 to 40 feet high, both loaded with beautiful 

 flowers and luxuriant foliage ; R. Faleunrri, in point of foliage the 

 most superb of all the Himalayan species, with trunks 30 feet high, and 

 branches bearing at their ends only leaves 18 inches long. Next to 

 these are shrubs of Stimmia Laureola, Symplocot, and Ilydranyta, and 

 still a few purple magnolias, very large Pyri, like mountain ash, and 

 the common English yew, 18 feet in circumference. A currant is 

 common, always growing epiphytically on the trunks of large trees. 

 Two or three species of Berberry, a cherry, A nilromeda, Daphne, and 

 maple, nearly complete, in Dr. Hooker's opinion, the list of woody 

 plants. The rarity of Pines is perhaps the most curious feature in 

 the botany of Tonglo, and on the outer ranges of Sikkim ; for, between 

 the level of 2500 feet, the upper limit of P. longiftjia, and 10,000 feet, 

 that of the yew, there is no coniferous tree whatever in Southern 

 Sikkim. (' Himalayan Journals,' voL i., pp. 162-169.) 



In some parts of India the entire destruction of the forests has 

 rendered the country liable to the dreadful calamities which follow a 

 deficiency of rain. The north-west provinces were denuded of their 

 trees during the wars that attended the decline and fall of the Moham- 

 medan empire and the rise and progress of the J&ts, Sikhs, and 

 Mahrattas. These lawless freebooters swept away all the groves from 

 the face of erery district they invaded, whilst they never thought of 

 renewing them, or encouraging their renewal, in those countries which 

 they permanently occupied. Many fertile regions were thus turned into 

 dreary and arid wastes. For many years past, however, the attention of 

 the Indian government has been given to the protection and renewal 

 of the forests, which are now committed to a special class of officers. 



Ceylim is also well wooded with Asiatic trees and shrubs : among 

 the former are the ebony and satin-wood, and of the latter the cinna- 

 mon is the most remarkable. 



The kingdom of Laos, Tonquln, Cambodia, Siam, and the peninsula 

 of Malacca, have a nearly similar vegetation. Of the kingdom of 

 Cochin-China, including Tonquin, Cambodia, and Cochin-China 

 Proper, it may be said that all parts produce good timber, including, 

 according to Loureiro, teak. The other vegetable products of the 

 forests of Cambodia in particular, which are applied to use, are Car- 

 damoms, Agila or eagle-wood, gamboge, and stick-lac. The Siamese 

 forests also produce teak (north of lat. 16') and eagle-wood, together 

 with sappan-wood (Ctrtalpinia Kippa*),& kind of red Wood, called by 

 the resident Portuguese " Pao-roa," or rose-wood ; and a kind of ben- 

 zoin, differing from that of Sumatra, more abundant, but inferior in 

 quality ; ana two species of cardamomvun, seemingly different from 

 the A momum cardamomum of Malabar. In various parts of the king- 

 dom, especially of its southern dUtricts, the tree or trees yielding 

 gutta-percha have been discovered, and the produce exported. The 

 peninsula of Malacca, though luxuriant in vegetation, is on the whole 

 inferior in products to the countries just noticed. There are many 

 specie* of forest-trees, but not one is fit for the higher purposes of ship- 

 building ; teak does not exist ; and about six only yield good durable 

 timber. Sappan and eagle-wood again occur, together with ebony, but 

 none of them in much abundance or of the best quality. The moat 

 valuable and remarkable product is gutta-percha. [Oi'TTA PKKCHA.] 



Borneo is covered with a rank verdure, or a primeval forest of 

 gigantic trees ; the cleared and reclaimed sputa funning but exceptional 

 pecks in this wild and unvaried landscape. The commercial pruducU 

 are benzoin, eagle- wood, camphor, the sago-palm, and raUns. 



The Philippine Archiptlayo, embracing about 16* of latitude and 

 9* of longitude,, and those between the Cth and the 21st degree of 



latitude north of the equator, is necessarily rich in products of all the 

 kingdoms of nature. No fewer than 218 forest-trees, chiefly of the 

 more northern ] irovinces, have been subjected to experiments i 

 arsenal of Manilla, and the relative strength, tenacity, and specific 

 gravity f the timber ascertained for economic uses. In th. 

 southerly island, Mindano, among many unknown forest-trees, v. 

 Uie well-known teak (Tectona orandit), this being, except Java, the >nly 

 inland of the Malay and Philippine archipelagos that is known 

 duce it in any considerable abundance ; while Sumbawa is tie 

 other island of' the former in which it is known to occur at all. The 

 intermediate islands of Bali and Lombok do not produce it. 



Of Onania it is sufficient to say, that all the islands are more or 

 less abundantly covered with timber ; many produce trees of immense 

 size and of the finest wood. 



" The whole island of ffnt Guinea," or Papua, says Mr. Crawfurd, 

 " so far as it has been seen, is one uniform and luxuriant forest . 

 of the trees of which run up to the height of 150 and 180 feet. The 

 economical use of the timber of these huge trees has not been 

 mined ; but the forests of New Guinea produce three plants which 

 have been immemorial]}- in demand by the n iti..im of the Malayan 

 islands; namely, the true nutmeg (ifyrittica motchata), the missoy, 

 or masui '<,rti.c c<..l. and the pulasari (Alyxia itellata). If tin- 

 timber should prove to be of good quality it is probable that it may 

 come to be in demand with the European colonies of Australia, when 

 these attain a dense population." 



Antlralla, from its great extent, varies greatly in its flora. The 

 forests in parts are extensive, and the pine, the iron-wood, and 

 mahogany, make good timber; but of many, such as the various 

 species of Eucalypti, the wood is brittle. Many of the native tree* 

 are, however, useful for building or other constructive purposes. 



New Zealand abounds in forests. The trees and ferns, indeed, give 

 the distinguishing feature to the vegetation. In England, out of 

 about 1400 species of plants, there are not more than 35 native trees. 

 In New Zealand, of flowering trees, inclmling shrubs above 20 feet 

 high, there ore upwards of 1 1 3, or nearly one-sixth of the flora, besides 

 156 shrubs and plants with woody steins. Dr. J. D. Hooker thinks 

 that the roiii/enr will prove, eventually, to be the most prevalent 

 natural family of plants in the island*. The Kauri pine (Damtnara 

 atuitmUs) is not found south of Kawia, on the western coast, and the 

 Bay of Plenty on the eastern. It is confined to the vicinity of tho 

 sea, but prefers sheltered localities. The Kauri forest forms a very deep 

 deposit of turfy soil, which, being intermingled with much resinous 

 matter, burns with great facility when dry. The resin of this ) 

 an important article of commerce with Kngland, and the United States 

 of America. The tree attains the height of 200 feet, and yields an 

 invaluable light compact wood, free from knot", from which the finest 

 masts for ships are now prepared. 



Africa. In spite of the burning heat of a vertical sun, there 

 .ire in Africa spots which, by reason of their elevation or their 

 proximity to the sea, enjoy a more temperate climate and alum- 

 dance of moisture. In these places vegetation is rich beyond <! 

 tiou. Thus Senegombia, Guinea, and Congo are covered with forests, 

 which consist of the baobab (of which there are different kinds), of 

 palms, robinias, sycamores, sandal-wood (red and gray), and tamarinds, 

 intermixed with bananas, oranges, limes, and pomegranates ; there are 

 also cocoa-nut trees in great abundance. The tamarind and cedar, 

 which grow in the greatest profusion on the borders of the Congo, 

 furnish timber of the finest quality. A fiyninia has abundant woods, in 

 which grow the smooth-leaved coral-tree (Erytitrina corallodoi 

 the tamarind, the date, some mimosas, and a large timber-tree 

 Bruce calls rat. On the coast of Adel there arc odoriferous forests, 

 producing the balm of JuiUea, myrrh, Ac. yypt, though abounding 

 in plantations of fruit-trees and dates, has no forests. The Atlas 

 Mountains, on the contrary, are covered with magnificent forests, and 

 producing a variety of oaks, the mastic tree, the cypress, Ac. In the 

 interior of the Atlas, the environs of Borgou are said to be covered 

 with trees, among which ore several kinds of sycamore, palms, and the 

 MimoMnil'itira. The kingdom of Bornou has immense forests, and the 

 date-palm abounds here. The Cape, celebrated for the beauty of its 

 vegetation, was generally thought U) l>e deficient in forest-timber, but 

 it has been discovered that to the eastward there are forests of the 

 finest oak of the Albanian kind, celebrated for it* quality and dura- 

 bility. These forests also produce iron-wood, the sago-palm, Ac. ; as 

 yet, however, they have been but imperfectly examined. Of the 

 African island*, Alailayatcar Is rich in timber, and a variety of woods 

 useful in the arts. The same may be said of the islands on the west 

 coast ; they are generally well wooded. 



In a general survey of tho globe, we. may look upon the New World 

 as pre-eminently the land of forests (as will appear when we come to 

 treat of the forest of the Amazon), contrasting strongly witli the < 'M 

 World, where steppes and desert* are the most characteristic features. 

 This fact is probably related to a great element in the chronology of 

 physical geography, the comparative youth of America (thus new as 

 a part of nature as well as to knowledge) in the present geological 

 period of the earth. The oldest sedimentary formations, the Silurian, 

 Cambrian (and perhaps the more recently recognised Lauruntian), 

 strata, appear to be universal ; but the periods when they constituted 

 the surface of tho land, with their clothing of ^vegetation and papula- 



