SIERRA LEONE 29 
trees attain a girth of 12 feet and a height of upwards of 150 feet. 
The bark of the trunk of the tree is smoother than that of 
mahogany. 
7. White Mahogany (Canarium Schweinfurthii), also known some- 
times as Gaboon Mahogany, is a very tall forest tree which attains a 
bole length of 70 feet, with a girth of 10 feet. It is not very plentiful, 
but is one of the light-coloured species of mahogany. It has a definite 
shipping value of 2s. 6d. in the round per cubic foot. 
8. African Mammee or Mammy Apple (Ochrocarpus Africanus) is 
a large tree attaining a girth of 10 feet, with a bole length of 
30 feet. It is moderately prevalent. The timber has a pretty grain, 
and is of a reddish colour, which is similar to mahogany. 
9. Dita (Detarium Senegalense) is a large tree with the bole length 
of 30 feet and a girth of 12 feet. Although it is not a very common 
tree, it is a useful addition to the number of trees which yield timber 
similar to mahogany. The fruit is large, has an edible pericarp, and 
is sold in the market under the name of Dita. 
10. Red Cedar (species of Sterculiacez) is a large and straight- 
growing tree, which reaches a girth of 10 feet. The tree has very 
characteristic root flanges, which can be seen in illustration No. 10. 
The timber has a mahogany-like grain, though of a somewhat 
more open texture. It is one of the most prevalent trees in the 
peninsular forest. 
11. Kontah, or Mahogany (Afzelia Africana), is a large tree with 
oval crown and bole length of 30 feet. Only a few specimens were 
met with in the forest, though the tree often grows up in old clearings. 
The timber is of a reddish-brown colour, somewhat hard and very 
durable. It takes the place of an oak timber economically, although 
it is not really of that type. The grain of the timber has much longer 
and more open pores than oak, though it could probably be sold as 
an oak or teak substitute in the European market. 
12. Rock Elm, also known as African Oak or Teak, is a common 
tree attaining large dimensions. Being a very durable wood of moderate 
hardness, it largely takes the place of European oak in the economy 
of the country, which, with its yellowish light-brown wood, rapidly 
becoming a nice old-oak brown colour, makes it a very similar timber, 
although, as the first name, Rock Elm, indicates, the tree is botanic- 
ally a member of the Elm family. White ants occasionally attack 
its sapwood, but make no progress in the heartwood. The wood is 
not attacked by fungi to any extent. Wherever the rainfall is sufficient, 
seedlings of this tree come up in the old farms, and when cut down 
it sprouts again from the stump. 
13. East Indian Walnut (Albizzia Lebbek) is a medium-sized tree 
which grows very quickly. The heartwood, which matures com- 
paratively early, is a light-brown colour, similar to walnut. The 
