SIERRA LEONE 31 
the savannah forest, which is found in the Karina district and other 
parts of the country. It is one of the commonest trees, and occurs 
in small groups scattered throughout these forests. The timber is 
a reddish-brown colour and of a similar texture to the ordinary Cam- 
wood or Padauk, of which genus it isa member. The wood, however, 
of this species is much harder than that of the others, and the colora- 
tion is often partially streaked, both features being due probably to 
the much slower growth owing to the annual grass fires. From the 
neighbouring territory of Senegal the timber has been exported to 
France as African Rosewood, where it finds a good market; but it 
is doubtful if it could compete with the Bahia Rosewood in the 
English market, owing to its less brilliant colour; the timber is, however, 
worth a trial. 
17. Baphia nitida (Camwood) is a small-sized tree, which is com- 
monly found at the edge of villages and in old farms. It is a somewhat 
slow-growing tree, in which the heartwood forms none too early and 
in a somewhat irregular manner, occasionally small patches forming 
comparatively near the bark. The wood is hard, and the heartwood 
of a deep claret-red colour. The timber is close grained and of fine 
texture, which planes very smooth after being cut and dried. In 
recent years much smaller quantities of Camwood have been sent 
away (see Appendix I) than between the years 1827 and 1835 
(see Appendix II), when between 5 and 802 tons were exported. 
In this connection, too, there can be no doubt that Camwood is 
obtained from the tree known botanically as Baphia nitida, because 
this tree is found in Sierra Leone, whereas Barwood, or the so-called 
Camwood of Nigeria, the produce of Pterocarpus tinctorius or Osun, 
which has not yet been reported from the neighbourhood of Sierra 
Leone, could not have been absolutely killed out between the years 
1835 and 1900. 
III. Trees Cut ror Locau Use. 
1. Morinda citrifolia? (the Brimstone) is the most common tree, 
from which the largest amount of timber which is used locally is 
obtained. Growing, as it does, with a girth up to 20 feet and a bole 
length of 50 feet, the local sawyers can usually make a very large 
number of 12-feet planks 1 inch thick out of each tree. The chief 
use of this timber is for weather-boards, which are sold at 10s. per 
100 feet. All the native houses in Freetown are faced with weather- 
boards of this kind of timber. After being cut down, shoots sprout 
out from the stump, forming in a few years small trees of useful size, 
especially in old farms. The name of this tree, Brimstone, denotes 
the wonderful sulphur-like colour of the wood. The durability of 
this timber for outside work and its termite-resisting qualities 
have given it a premier position amongst local timbers. The 
