84 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
as the name indicates, is like a green plum, is covered with white 
lenticels, making the surface very rough. The flesh-is of a yellowish 
colour and soft, with a pasty nature. It has a sweet, pleasant taste. 
The wood, when freshly cut, has a sweet, beeswax-like scent, similar to 
that of the fruit. 
15. Whismore, which is sold as planks at 24d. per superficial foot, 
is another very useful timber, not unlike cedar in texture. The tree 
comes up very readily in old farms, and has very large tri-pinnate 
leaves. Apparently it grows very fast, though this does not appear 
to hinder the early formation of heartwood, which is of a very light 
brown colour, though the sapwood is quite white. It attains a girth 
of about 9 feet and a bole length of 50 feet. The bark forms very 
characteristic fissures, dividing it into more or less diamond-shaped 
pieces, rather reminiscent of the European Elm. Although the tree 
does not occur in actual groups, more than one will usually be found 
in the same locality. 
16. Uapaca Heudelotti (Sugar Plum, Red Cedar) is a large tree 
with rather a spread of crown and numerous aerial roots. It attains 
a girth of 9 feet and a bole length of 20 feet. The timber has a close 
and fine grain, and is of a reddish colour. Locally it is cut and used 
for the ribs of sea-going boats. It is apparently quite durable for 
this purpose. It is very prevalent, and usually grows near waterways. 
17. Pycnanthus Kombo (White Cedar) is a very large tree which 
attains a girth of 12 feet and a bole length of 80 feet. It is very preva- 
lent, and can be recognised by the flat crown and long straight branches 
coming out at right angles to the stem. When cut it exudes a reddish- 
coloured mass of semi-liquid nature. The bark reminds one of the 
Mahoganies, though on the whole it is more fissured. The timber is 
soft and of a pinkish colour, though it gives more the impression 
that it is white and tinged with red. It has a very open grain with 
particularly long pores, reminding one of cedar (Cedrela). It is 
cut locally for sale as planks. 
18. Pterocarpus Erinaceus (African Rosewood) is mentioned amongst 
the number of possible export timber-bearing trees. It is also used 
locally in the making of a musica] instrument called Balangi, after 
the timber has lain some months in the ground. In the drier portions 
of the country it is a useful tree for house-building. It seeds readily, 
and is usually found in large quantities. 
19. Baphia nitida (Camwood) is also one of the export produce 
bearing trees, but which has been used as a colouring matter for 
putting on the body from time immemorial. The local people, how- 
ever, prefer to use cakes of the ground-up produce of the Barwood 
(Pterocarpus Tinctorius) from Southern Nigeria, which commands a 
higher price. That this product of Baphia nitida is the true Camwood 
is practically proved by the fact that this tree was first identified 
