TRINIDAD. 1 63 



Owing to the great density of population about 100,000 

 acres, out of a total of 106,000, are used for the cultivation of 

 sugar cane and other crops ; hence only a small portion of the 

 island can be classed as forest. What remains of the woods, 

 contains mahogany, cedar, lignum vitfe and other trees. 

 Practically, all timber for use is now imported. During the five 

 years 1900 to 1904 the mean annual imports were valued at : — 



Lumber £25,930 



Staves and shooks . . . £27,986 



Total .... £58,916 



There is little room for forest conservancy, since nearly 

 the whole of the land is required for cultivation. 



TRINIDAD. 



The island has an area of 1,754 square miles and a popula- 

 tion of 255,148, equal to 145 to the square mile. 



It is stated that of the total area about two-thirds 

 are cultivable, while the other third consists chiefly of 

 swampy ground, rocky and useless land. About 454,000 

 acres are in the hands of private proprietors. Of the Crown 

 lands, 346,000 acres are classed as cultivable, 223,000 acres 

 are poor land and the rest swamps and waste. 



There are three ranges of hills in the island. The chief 

 objects of reserving the forest lands are (1) to protect the 

 sources of the water supply, and (2) the protection of valuable 

 timber. The reserves, or proposed reserves, are mostly 

 situated in the three hill ranges, but some of the areas are on 

 low and cultivable land, as they are required to sup[>ly fuel 

 to towns and villages. They may be classified as follows : — 



Square miles 



Eeserves for the protection of the water supply 252 

 Eeserves for the supply of fuel . . .30 

 Beserves forming a wind break on the east coast 11 



Total 293 



mT" 



