FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 139 



;£'3S per ton." The price must, however, depend on 

 its condition and demand. 



" Barwood, also for dyeing purposes, in small cleft 

 pieces brings from £2 i 5j. to £/^ 10s. per ton, accord- 

 ing to demand; present value being £'^ i^s. to 

 £/^. 2s. 6d. per ton. 



" There may be other woods from that portion of 

 Africa, which would possess a commercial value if 

 imported, but they are not known to us." 



Botanists — at least some^ — give out that camwood 

 and barwood are obtained from the Baphia nitida- 

 The diiferent colouring given in description, the great 

 difference of prices per ton, would make one inclined 

 to differ, or to question whether accurate and reliable 

 information has reached us. 



I see the French give to barwood the name Ptero- 

 carpus angoleiisis ; and to camwood, Baphia laurifolia. 



If, however, it has been satisfactorily proved that 

 BapJiia nitida is the tree ; why then is it not allowed 

 to age ? or why are the natives so shortsighted as not 

 to promote the export of camwood, with a pecuniary 

 return ten times as much as is obtained for barwood? 

 I don't think it has been yet clearly explained what 

 botanically is barwood and what camwood. 



Camwood is used for dyeing light browns, as in 

 tweeds ; and in Sheffield barwood is used for knife 

 handles. 



Redwood comes chiefly from Old Calabar, gives a 

 stronger colour than barwood, and is worth a little more. 



