Mahogany. 31 
split in seasoning is without much foundation, at least I am satisfied that this 
tendency is not more marked in crabwood than in many other tropical 
timbers. In felling teak for example precaution is taken to ring the trees 
some twelve months before. In the case of certain timbers it is even 
necessary to allow them to stand in the forest as much as three years 
after being ringed. The real difficulty in establishing a market in the United 
Kingdom is in the existence there of large vested interests in the African 
and Central American forests, which make the people who control the 
trade indifferent in the meantime to supplies from other sources. It is true 
nevertheless that supplies are permanently short and that America is compelled 
to buy in Liverpool fine timber for veneering purposes which in some cases has 
had its origin in Central American or Mexican forests. It seems, however, to suit 
the interests referred to, to maintain these conditions and the only way to change 
their attitude is to pay the way in for our colonial article. This again depends 
on the possibility of showing such generous supplies and the ability to exploit 
them here as will maintain a reasonable volume of trade in logs of good size and 
quality. Judging by the averages in the Burmese teak trade ‘probably not more 
than ten per cent. of the timber cut would be suitable for export, and on some such 
basis the volume of trade would require to be calculated. On the other hand 
in the colony at present there is no discrimination exercised by which timber of a 
high class may bring its value for ornamental purposes, and good, middling and 
indifferent lumber is sold by the mills at an overhead price. The prices that offer 
in the home market for really fine logs are however tempting enough to induce 
enterprise and intelligence to apply themselves to the commercial problems 
involved, and I have no doubt that by business diplomacy and tact allied with 
the necessary knowledge the difficulties alluded to may be overcome and 
Guiana mahogany become as well known in London Docks as the Axim and 
Benin marks. 
