BRITISH SPHERE OF THE CAMEROONS 423 



damaged externally, which gives them a bad appearance. The wood 

 is not only lighter in weight but also lighter in colour than the other 

 West African Mahoganies, and both these qualities detract from its 

 value. The grain is more open ; it rarely if ever shows any figure, 

 in comparison to the highly figured logs from Benin and Bassam. 

 Having been tested very thoroughly as to tensile, torsion and com- 

 pression strengths since the beginning of the war, it has not proved 

 to be nearly as strong as the other West African Mahogany, These 

 tests having been conducted with scientific accuracy and impartiality, 

 they are to be trusted. Thus, for some purposes, such as aeroplane 

 propellor construction, Gaboon Mahogany has proved unsuitable. 

 However, it is only the very best, very strongest and most durable 

 kinds of mahogany that will stand the most severe strains, such as 

 wood is subject to when used in this work. However, that does not 

 preclude the wood from being used for similar purposes as the other 

 kinds of West African Mahogany, where the strains and stresses are 

 not so great and where the lighter colour is no advantage. In fact, 

 in many positions a greater lightness in the weight of the wood would 

 be a distinct advantage, which should be pressed for all it is worth. 



Zaminguila is becoming better known, though previous to the 

 war it could not be said that it had an established place in the market. 



Duika Mahogany is scarcely known, and may be the wood of 

 Irvingia Barter i. 



Kambala or Oak, which is also known as African Teak, is much 

 better known now, and in fact there is a steady demand for it, chiefly 

 under the Nigerian name Iroko, which has been exported from Benin 

 and Lagos in Nigeria in the form of " squared " logs. 



Thus far very few forest regulations have been issued in the Congo 

 Fran9aise and very little replanting has been done. However, for 

 the present, the supplies appear to be very large, but they will no 

 doubt get more costly as the timber has to be cut and obtained from 

 the much more distant and inaccessible forests. Apparently there 

 is little or no Khaya Mahogany in those regions, so that there is little 

 fear of real competition between the main species of Mahogany found 

 in the different West African countries. The natives work the timber 

 chiefly, cutting and bringing it to the ports themselves. 



THE BELGIAN CONGO 



This, the greatest and largest river system in Africa, gives its name 

 also to the largest compact forest area of that country. Of the 800,000 

 sqiiare miles, probably 700,000 are covered with forests of one type 

 or another. From the mangrove swamps on the islands at the mouth 

 of the Congo, through the dense evergreen forests of the Upper Congo 

 to the dry-zone open deciduous or almost treeless areas of Katanga, 



