118 OF WOOD IN GENERAL. 



Australia, and New Zealand ; but the most valuable timber of 

 the colony is the Blue Gum (E. glubulus), which is abundant in 

 the south of the island. 



The forest-area of New Zealand, estimated at over 20,000,000 

 acres in 1830, was only 12,000,000 acres in 1874, when clearing 

 was proceeding at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum ; but con- 

 servation was then inaugurated and the many valuable species of 

 timber thereby saved from extermination. 



Of these the- most valuable is the Kauri Pine (Agathis austrdlis), 

 which is confined to the North Island. This fine durable timber 

 is the soft wood of the country, and is extensively converted for 

 export to Australia, the freight militating against it in com- 

 petition with Baltic timber for the English market, though it is 

 employed to some extent for the decks of yachts. 



Africa. Little can be said as to the timber resources of the 

 African continent. Neither Atlas Cedar (Ccdrus atldntica), re- 

 sembling the Deodar, nor Atlas Cypress (Tdmdinis articuldta), 

 the Citron- wood of the ancients, are at all known commercially, 

 and the same must be said of Morocco Ironwood (Argdnia 

 Sidewxylon). Algeria, however, has nearly 5 million acres of 

 forest, three-fifths of which are under State control, and its Ever- 

 green Oaks (Quercus Ilex, Saber, bdllota, etc.), its Kabyle Ash, said 

 to be equal to English, and Maritime Pine (P-inus Pinaster) should 

 prove of value. From our West African colonies we import 

 small quantities of African Oak or Teak (OldJUldia africdna), a 

 dense wood, shipped from Sierra Leone, and African Rosewood 

 (Pterocdrpus erindceus) but little is known of the timber-trees 

 of tropical Africa ; while the south of the continent is one of the 

 districts of the world which suffers most in climate from the 

 want of timber, partly from reckless destruction. 



Little is known as yet as to the botanical nature or abundance 

 of the undoubtedly valuable timbers of Rhodesia. It is estimated 

 that there are about 2000 square miles of forest in Matabeleland, 

 while Mashonaland is not so well timbered. Annual irrass fires 



O 



kill innumerable young trees : the natives are answerable for the 

 destruction of many thousands ; and the felling of large timber 



