88 COLONIAL REPORTS MISCELLANEOUS. 



Grouping together the useful plants found in these dry open 

 forests and the narrow belts and small patches of evergreen vege- 

 tation scattered about them we have : 



A. Timber Trees. 



1. Afzelia africana, Opapao of the Aquapims, generally distri- 

 buted over the open country. Where not exposed to much 

 damage from fire it attains fine dimensions, and becomes more or 

 less gregarious. The natural regeneration by seed is excellent , 

 and probably better than that of any other species of timber tree 

 to be found in this part of the country. The various age grada- 

 tions are also well represented. The timber is hard, durable, 

 and of first-class quality; it has been frequently exported to 

 Europe from the Niger under the general trade name of 

 " African Mahogany," and is largely used on the Niger for mak- 

 ing furniture. It is also far and away the best shade tree of the 

 open country. Altogether this species appears to me to have a 

 great future before it, not so much perhaps for purposes of export 

 as for local requirements in the arid regions of the hinterland 

 From a professional point of view it has the great merit of repro- 

 ducing itself freely by seed and being a very hardy species. It 

 will probably respond readily to technical management, especially 

 if it is protected from the annual fires in the more arid districts. 



2. TJie Balsam Copaiba Tree, Daniella thurifera. This 

 species is also very abundant in the dry zone. It reaches fairly 

 large dimensions, reproduces itself freely by seed, and has the 

 age gradations well represented. The wood is durable and is 

 impregnated with a wood-oil (resin) that was exported formerly 

 from the Niger under the name of " Balsam Copaiba." It is, 

 in fact, quite a useful timber tree for local requirements. Like 

 Afzelia africana, it will also probably be easily amenable to 

 systematic management. 



3. Detarium senegalense. Not so universally distributed a> 

 the two former species, but extremely abundant in certain locali- 

 ties, especially where the subsoil is rocky. Natural regeneration 

 by seed is good, seedlings are plentiful, and the age gradations 

 satisfactory. The timber is said to be of excellent quality, but 

 there is some doubt as to its durability when freely exposed to 

 atniosDheric influences. Does not attain very large dimensions. 



4. The dry zone Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis}. This is a 

 small species of West African mahogany that is confined to the 

 open country. It sometimes attains a girth of 6 feet, but the 

 usual size is from 4 to 5 feet. The timber appears to be similar 

 to that of the other West African mahoganies. In the driest 

 parts of the open country it is confined to the vicinity of the 

 streams. The growth of this species could no doubt be consider- 

 ably improved by protecting it against forest fires. Natural 

 regeneration by seed is fairly good. 



5. The dry zone Cedar (Pseudocedrela Kotschyi). Extremely 

 r.ommon in some parts of the dry zone; local in its distribution. 

 In favourable localities it attains a fairly large size and yields 

 a very beautiful wood. Seedlings are numerous wherever it 



