NOTES ON THE EXTRACTION OF TIMBER 133 
In the British possessions in Southern Nigeria, most of 
the forests are fortunately under the jurisdiction of a 
Government Forest Department, and on a concession 
being obtained for cutting the wood in a certain area 
the lessee binds himself to certain conditions—the size 
of the trees to be felled, and the replanting of others 
to take their place being important provisions. This 
licence being granted, the trees have to be located, 
and as Mahogany does not grow in stances or clumps, 
but scattered to an extent of sometimes a quarter of a 
mile apart, this difficulty in a dense, almost impenetra- 
ble, jungle, is met with at the onset ; moreover, in accor- 
dance with the Government regulations, no trees must 
be felled that do not reach a circumference of 12 ft. 
at 10 ft. from the ground, any offence against this 
condition being punishable with a fine. The trees 
located on the area are marked, and after a government 
supervisor. has inspected and a felling charge has been 
paid—a part of which goes to the paramount chief of 
the locality—a further permit to fell these special trees 
is granted. These mighty trees, often towering to a 
height of 200 or more feet, and occasionally with a girth 
of 36 ft., have usually at the base, to support their 
growth, natural buttress-like projections which extend 
-from 6 to 12 ft. upwards. A rough stage is erected 
by the natives over this supporting growth, and then 
commences the labour of felling the tree. It is entirely 
done by axe work, as many “ boys”’ as can be got to 
work on both sides of the trunk being employed. If 
the tree is an upright one in its growth, the chopping 
continues until only a few inches of the wood is left in 
the centre of the tree, when one last blow or a gust of 
wind upsets its equilibrium, and with a crash that 
makes the earth tremble for a distance of 200 or 300 feet, 
and which brings down other trees of less substantial 
