THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 805 
from the wonderful bole, exceeding nearly all others in cylin- 
drical shape. hi 
Chief Characteristics.—It is a very large forest tree, with 
clear bole of 90 feet and open crown formed with two or three 
large, upspreading limbs, flatly oval on the top. It is quite 
reminiscent of an old elm in the shape of the crown. The single- 
seeded winged fruit is most typical, no other species of Legu- 
minosee having a similar seed except the nearly related 
Pterolobium (?). The bark is comparatively thin, silvery-grey 
in colour, with a few more or less well-defined ridges running 
horizontally round the trunk here and there. These are most 
typical, and it is the only tree which shows them. In some 
places they amount to small nodules of bark. 
This tree is found commonly in the Benin and Ondo pro- 
vinces of Nigeria, where it is prevalent, and in the northern part 
of the Benin province, and seen in almost gregarious patches 
in the secondary forest. The slash is yellowish-white, and 
in the younger trees a dirty pinkish sap exudes, but later on, 
especially from deep cuts, the gum copal forms and gradually 
hardens into solid lumps of various size. 
Silvicultural Peculiarities.—It loves a deep soil with plenty 
of moisture, which may even be flooded or partially water- 
logged during the rainy season. A chalky or limy soil seems 
to suit it best. It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, though 
it stands a little shade in its youth. The light, feathery foliage 
does not shade the ground, though when in falls it enriches 
it. The root spurns are most slight, extending only from a 
few inches to 1 foot above the surface of the ground ; in fact, 
sometimes the trunk appears to come straight out of the ground, 
like a round log on end. Natural regeneration is none too good, 
but this is chiefly due to lack of light in the mixed forests. 
No plantations have yet been made with this tree. 
It has not been exported, but it deserves a trial as a 
furniture-wood for drawing tables and office equipment gener- 
ally. It is sawn up into planks and boards at Koko Town, 
and contains a gum which makes the saws stick a little. It 
makes a good, soft wood for table tops, of a pinkish colour 
and clear, close grain. The gum is sold. 
Native Use.—It has been used for canoe making in the Ondo 
province. The gum is used for an illuminant, and was at one 
time used entirely for this purpose. In 1906 logs of this timber 
were sold in Liverpool market as a kind of mahogany of light 
colour. 
Prosopis oblonga. Yoruba Charcoal Wood. 
It is found in the Ibadan and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, 
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