252 MADRAS EXHIBITION. 



tory. Dr Wight speaks upon report disparagingly of this wood, 

 but it is valued in some parts of the country as a strong and dur- 

 able timber, and one that grows to a large size. 



Artocarpus echinata is represented by Mr M'lvor as a large tree, 

 yielding a good wood, though apparently not much used. Little 

 appears to be known of this wood, which deserves further inquiry. 



Stereospermum (sp.~) Padri-maram. — There appear to be three 

 useful species of this genus — viz., Stereospermum chelonoides, 

 yielding wood of a reddish colour, said by Wight (List, No. 110), 

 to be the strongest of the two noticed by him. Stereospermum 

 suaveolens is described by him as a considerable tree, frequent in 

 the Walliar jungles, wood strong and elastic, said to be fitted for 

 making bows. (List, No. 63.) The third species has recently 

 been discovered in the valley of the Godavari, and is of smaller 

 size than the others, but appears to possess useful properties. 



Cochin. — This collection consists of specimens of wood found 

 in the district of Malabar. The samples are well prepared, but 

 the value of the collection is unfortunately much reduced in con- 

 sequence of no botanical names being affixed to them. 



The jury cannot close their report on the woods exhibited,* 

 without calling attention to the number and variety of useful 

 and valuable trees existing in the forests of this Presideucy. 

 Independent of the many reported to be useful in medicine and 

 the arts, the large number of handsome and ornamental trees, 

 and others, yielding valuable timber, cannot but strike one in 

 looking through the lists. The districts which abound in useful 

 woods are Canara, Malabar, Salem, Kadapa, Coimbatore, Tinne- 

 velly, Guntur, Vizagapatam, and Ganjam. 



Of the many useful woods standing in the forests, a very few 

 only are in common use for domestic and agricultural purposes 

 among the native population. It is singular that up to a very 

 late period — it may almost be said that up to the present time — 

 the servants of Government in the P. W. D. have taken little 

 interest in any but the teak, palmyra, and mango woods. All 

 others were classed under the general denomination of jungle- 

 woods, and some of the finest timber of the world, thus named, 

 has been applied in the construction of buildings which, having 



