SIERRA LEONE 29 



trees attain a girth of 12 feet and a height of upwards of 150 feet. 

 The bark of the trunk of the tree is smoother than that of 

 mahogany. 



7. White Mahogany {Canarium Schweinfurthii), also known some- 

 times as Gaboon Mahogany, is a very tall forest tree which attains a 

 bole length of 70 feet, with a girth of 10 feet. It is not very plentiful, 

 but is one of the light-coloured species of mahogany. It has a definite 

 shipping value of 2s. 6d. in the round per cubic foot. 



8. African Mammee or Mammy Apple {Ochrocarpus Africanus) is 

 a large tree attaining a girth of 10 feet, with a bole length of 

 30 feet. It is moderately prevalent. The timber has a pretty grain, 

 and is of a reddish colour, which is similar to mahogany. 



9. Dita {Detarium Senegalense) is a large tree with the bole length 

 of 30 feet and a girth of 12 feet. Although it is not a very common 

 tree, it is a useful addition to the number of trees which yield timber 

 similar to mahogany. The fruit is large, has an edible pericarp, and 

 is sold in the market under the name of Dita, 



10. Red Cedar (species of Sterculiaceas) is a large and straight- 

 growing tree, which reaches a girth of 10 feet. The tree has very 

 characteristic root flanges, which can be seen in illustration No, 10. 

 The timber has a mahogany-like grain, though of a somewhat 

 more open texture. It is one of the most prevalent trees in the 

 peninsular forest. 



11. Kontah, or Mahogany {Afzelia Africana), is a large tree with 

 oval crown and bole length of 30 feet. Only a few specimens were 

 met with in the forest, though the tree often grows up in old clearings. 

 The timber is of a reddish-brown colour, somewhat hard and very 

 durable. It takes the place of an oak timber economically, although 

 it is not really of that type. The grain of the timber has much longer 

 and more open pores than oak, though it could probably be sold as 

 an oak or teak substitute in the European market. 



12. Rock Elm, also known as African Oak or Teak, is a common 

 tree attaining large dimensions. Being a very durable wood of moderate 

 hardness, it largely takes the place of European oak in the economy 

 of the country, which, with its yellowish light-brown wood, rapidly 

 becoming a nice old-oak brown colour, makes it a very similar timber, 

 although, as the first name, Rock Elm, indicates, the tree is botanic- 

 ally a member of the Elm family. White ants occasionally attack 

 its sapwood, but make no progress in the heartwood. The wood is 

 not attacked by fungi to any extent. Wherever the rainfall is sufficient^ 

 seedlings of this tree come up in the old farms, and when cut down 

 it sprouts again from the stump. 



13. East Indian Walnut {Albizzia Lebbek) is a medium-sized tree 

 which grows very quickly. The heartwood, which matures com- 

 paratively early, is a light-brown colour, similar to walnut. The 



