I50 PORTO RICO 



than name it after the dominant tree at present Murphy has pre- 

 ferred to call it the " dry tidal woodland type." 



The next two types contained the greatest amount of timber 

 before settlement disturbed natural conditions because they 

 occupied the portions of the island that are favored mth heavy 

 precipitation. The first .of these, the moist deciduous type, is 

 confined to areas having at least 60 inches of rainfall but with a 

 short but distinct dry season which forces many of the trees to 

 shed their leaves. Most of the type has been cleared for tillage 

 but a few remnants indicate its composition. Tabanuco — Da- 

 cryodes excelsa Vahl — is the only important species which can 

 be used as a substitute for softwood. Its wood is similar to that 

 of yellow poplar and the tree is also found in pure stands so that 

 it may be logged cheaply. The other commercial species in this 

 moist deciduous type are hardwoods not suitable for general 

 construction work but mainly used for cabinet work. 



The rain forest type, on the other hand, which is characterized 

 by the lack of a dry season and abundant precipitation thruout 

 the year has several important species which have wood soft 

 enough to make good substitutes for pine. The most valuable of 

 these are: 



Cedro — Cedrela Odorata L. 

 Tabanuco — Dacryodes excelsa Vahl. 

 Laurel sabino — Magnolis splendeus Urba 

 Guaraguao — Guarea trichiHoides L. 



All are large trees, that is, over 75 feet in height and three feet in 

 diameter when mature. Best of all they form stands dense 

 enough to log economically; 15,000 board feet per acre is not 

 uncommon in virgin stands. In addition there are scattered 

 hardwoods like mahogany — Swietenia mahagoni Jacq — and 

 ausubo — Sider oxylon foetidissimum Jacq — valuable on ac- 

 count of their durability and ornamental quaHties to increase 

 the productivity of this type. Unfortunately very little of the 

 original forest is now left in this type because the land has been 

 practically all cleared for agriculture. 

 The dry deciduous type is preeminently the home of the 



