124 BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN ASIA. 



on the whole, scantily wooded. Al)out 700 square miles are 

 classed as forest, but many parts of it are of a more or less 

 open character. They are situated partly on the southern 

 and partly on the northern range of hills; of these, the former 

 is the more important. The most common tree is the pinaster 

 {Pinus marithna). There are also iQwndiPmuslaricio, several 

 species of oak, plane and alder. A considerable area is covered 

 with young cedar ; also cypress, juniper, elm and walnut. 

 Rhus coriaria (the sumach of commerce), carob and olive 

 flourish. Natural regeneration is slow ; seedlings of many 

 kinds spring up, but are believed to die by drought and heat 

 in summer. (Probably cattle and goats do more harm.) There 

 are no funds available for artificial regeneration. The average 

 annual imports of timber are valued at ^13,458 ; the exports 

 of carob atc£88,961. A forest officer, assisted by a number of 

 guards, looks after the forests. 



TERRITORY OF THE BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY 

 AND TERRITORY OF SAMARAK. 



Area of British North Borneo = 31,106 square miles; 

 population = 104,527, or three to the square mile. These 

 territories are rich in timber and other produce of the forest. 

 The net exports in 1904 are given as follows : — 



Cutch value 4*27,742 



Damar 

 Gutta-percha 

 India-rubber 

 Timber 



7,431 



5,608 



21,945 



116,084 



Samarak has an area = 41,000 square miles ; popu- 

 lation = 500,000. Exports of produce of the forests, annual 

 average of the five years 1900 to 1904 : — 



Gambler value i:49,667 



Gutta-percha ,, 91,274 



(Jelutong) ... „ 67,828 



India-rubber ,, 53,311 



Timber ,, 23,019 



