68 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



13. Brachystegia spiccBformis, which yields a light-brown hardish 

 timber with very pretty grain, (See illustration No. 104, which shows 

 a very large specimen of this tree in Nigeria.) It is very prevalent, 

 in fact one of the commonest trees in the Gola Forest, so that large 

 quantities of timber could be obtained. 



14. Wismah (Sierra Leone name) is also found, and apparently 

 grows up very quickly in old farms. 



15. The Red Oak [Berlinia auriculata) is quite prevalent, especially 

 near the banks of streams. It attains a large size, and the timber 

 has been sold as oak in the European market. Here it has not yet 

 been cut. 



In addition to the trees which can be felled for conversion into 

 export timbers, there are others which may be cut for sale locally, 

 such as : 



16. The Brimstone {Morinda citrijolia?), one of the most suitable 

 trees for the purpose. One of the largest trees was 5 feet in diameter, 

 and had also a clear bole of 50 feet. On the whole it grows to a 

 larger size in the Gola Forest than in Sierra Leone. Illustration 

 No. 10 shows one of these trees from which a timber specimen had 

 been cut. 



17. The Hamon, which is apparently a species of Sterculiaceae, 

 although not of enormous size, has a straight bole, which divides up 

 into four or five very large and thin root flanges. It is one of the 

 most prevalent trees in the forest. Illustration No. 14 shows the 

 peculiar formation of the roots of this tree. 



18. Piptadenia africana, a very large tree with small and fine 

 pinnate leaves. It is frequently met with, in fact one of the commonest 

 of the trees in the forest. It yields a hard brown wood which is 

 durable. 



19. The so-called Mountain Mahogany, probably a species of 

 Leguminosese. It attains a large size, and yields a timber not unlike 

 that of Red Pine. 



Up to the present no local or other sawyers have worked in this 

 forest. Although only a few trees have been mentioned which could 

 be cut for use locally, there are many others out of approximately 

 a hundred different kinds which are found in the forest. 



There are other products, such as oil beans, obtained from Penta- 

 clethra macrophylla, a large forest tree ; gum copal, obtained from 

 Daniellia Ogea, one of the largest forest trees ; palm oil and kernels 

 from the Oil Palm (Elcesis guineensis), which is found in all the 

 clearings. Piassava, obtained from Raphia vinifera, is found on the 

 banks of the two rivers, Morro and Mano. Rubber could be obtained 

 from the African Rubber Tree {Funtumia elastica) and various rubber 

 vines, such as Landolphia Owariensis, and others. Dika nuts could 

 be procured, as the tree which bears them, Irvingia Barteri, is com- 



