KENYA COLONY. 



289 



Bamboo forests, estimated at 1,300 square miles, are included 

 under Merchantable Forests. 



4. Ownership of the Forests. 



The State has retained the ownership of nearly all the forests. 

 The classification is given as follows : — 



Square Miles. 



State Forests for Timber production 2,200 

 Other State forests . . . 2,800 



Total .... 5,000 .. 98-04: 



Private forests . . . . 100 . . 1-96 



5,100 



Per cent, of 

 Total Area. 



43-14 

 54-90 



100-00 



ect to a forest concession, which 



Grand total 



An area of 300 square miles is subj 

 will expire in 1957. Much of the forest has been cleared for 

 shifting cultivation, and in other parts all good timber has been 

 cut out. 



5. Forest Products. 



Timber. — The more important timber trees have been given 

 above. Of these Cedar and Podo are the most important, and 

 next Muzaiti. Cedar has a wide distribution, reaches a height 

 of 90 to 100 feet, a diameter of 36 to 48 inches, and the timber 

 weighs 38 to 42 pounds per cubic foot, is durable and resists 

 termites, but it is liable to attacks by Fomes juniperiniis. Podo, 

 a medium-sized tree, has a wide distribution ; it is said to be 

 identical with the Yellow Wood of South Africa. Muzaiti 

 reaches a height of 120 feet and a diameter of 6 to 8 feet ; its 

 timber weighs 34 to 36 pounds, is durable and resists termites. 



Other Produce. — (1) Fuel woods are important as there are, 

 apparently, no coal or oil in the Colony ; the demand is large for 

 power and domestic fires. 



(2) Poles from mangrove forests, in large demand for export. 



(3) Mangrove bark, but the supply is at present small. 



(4) Bamboos and soft woods for paper pulp. 



6, Relationship of the State to the Forests. 



A Forest Ordinance was passed in 1911, which contains provi- 

 sions for the better protection of the forests and gives powers, 

 amongst others, for the following purposes ; — 



