116 



PHYSICAL GEOGEAPIIY. 



[Part I. 



the Kangtal of Bengal {Artocarpus integrifoHa), is, next 

 to the coco-nut and Pahnyra, by far the most vahiable 

 to the Singhalese ; its fruit, which sometimes attains the 

 weight of 50 lbs., supplying food for their table, its leaves 

 fodder for their cattle, and its trunk timber for every con- 

 ceivable purpose both oeconomic and ornamental. The 

 Jak tree, as well as the Del, or wild bread-fruit, is in- 

 digenous to the forests on the coast and in the central 

 provinces ; but, although the latter is found in the vicinity 

 of the villages, it does not appear to be an object of special 

 cultivation. The Jak, on the contrary, is planted near 

 every house, and forms the shade of every garden. Its 

 wood, at first yelloAV, approaches the colour of mahogany 

 after a httle exposure to the air, and resembles it at all 

 times in its grain and marking. 



The Del {Artocarpus p)uhescens) affords a valuable 

 timber, not only for architectural purposes, but for ship- 

 building. It and the Halmalille ^ resembhng but larger 

 than the hnden tree of England, to which it is closely 

 aUied, are the favomite building woods of the natives, 

 and the latter is used for carts, casks, and aU household 

 purposes, as well as for the hulls of their boats, from the 

 behef that it resists the attack of the marine worms, and 

 that some unctuous property in the wood preserves the 

 iron work from rust.^ 



The Teak {Tectona grandis\ which is superior to all 

 others, is not a native of this island, and although largely 

 planted, has not been altogether successfid. But the 

 satin-wood ^, in point of size and durabihty, is by far the 

 &st of the timber trees of Ceylon. For days together 

 I have ridden under its magnificent shade. All the 

 forests around Batticaloa and Triiicomahe, and as far 

 north as Jaffna, are thickly set with this valuable tree. 

 It grows to the height of a hundred feet, Avith a rugged 



1 Eerrya ammoiiilla. 



2 The Masula boats, wliicli brave 

 tlie formidable snrf of Madras, are 

 made of Halmalille, Avbicb is there 



called "Trincomalie wood," from the 

 place of exportation. 



2 Chloroxylon Swietenia. 



