MEN OF THE TREES 



Persia. There are many other varieties which I was able 

 to identify with the kind assistance Dr. E. H. Wilson of 

 the Arnold Arboretum when he stayed with me at 

 Mombasa. I shall always look back with pleasure, even 

 to my expeditions in the most unattractive mangrove 

 swamps, when accompanied by Ernest Wilson. He was 

 a great Man of the Trees and his vast knowledge was a 

 constant source of admiration to me. His tragic death 

 was indirectly due to his personal sacrifice in his work 

 and in him America, and indeed the world, has lost a 

 great tree lover. 



At present all too little is known of the forest re- 

 sources of Kenya Colony. This knowledge is not only 

 lacking to importers of other countries, but also locally. 

 As an example of the ignorance which exists, I may cite a 

 case of the Government harbour at Kilindini, for which 

 foreign woods were imported, while a little way up the 

 coast suitable timbers were available. Again up in the 

 Highlands a government railway was actually laid 

 through a timber forest on steel sleepers through a creo- 

 soting yard which had been specially constructed to 

 treat timber sleepers, of which a large number were 

 available. One day on Safari on the Mara River my at- 

 tention was drawn to the remains of a bridge that had 

 been constructed from Baltic pine. This wood had first 

 been shipped to London and then by devious route to 

 Kilindini, the port of Kenya, from there it had been 

 shipped by the Uganda Railway up the line to Kijabe, 

 some four hundred miles or more, from here it was car- 



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