18 ■ FOREST TREES, 



Lovery states tliat the wood does not endure 

 moisture or wet exposure long ; and that its weignt 

 k 48 lb. per cubic foot. But Poon spars always. 

 command a good price in the market. Ihey are m 

 great demand on the western coast as masts tor 

 ships and native craft. In addition to a valuable 

 timber, this tree affords a black opaque guna ot 

 doubtful utiKty, and a lamp oil. The latt^, which 

 is expressed from the seed, is used by the bingalese 

 on a somewhat extensive scale. 



Cultivation- In the indigenous tracts the tree 

 propagates itself extensively from scattered seed. 

 Cultivation should not be attempted on the plains, 



35 Mesua ferrea, Linn. Kan. Naga Sampage, Naga. 



dLampa, Kasara. 



Vis -Wight III. t. 127.; Wight Ic. 1. 118.; Bedd. 

 Fl. 8yh. t 64. 



"References.— Fl. Brit. Ind. ; Diet. Econ. Prod, of 

 Ind. ; Pharm. Ind. 



An exceptionally handsome tree of the hill 

 country. English residents occasionally refer to it 

 as the " iron wood tree," an appellation which is 

 due to the great weight and extreme hardness of 

 its timber. Leaves opposite, stiffly coriaceous, 

 drooping, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate ; average 

 blade 5 ^H in. Flower 2 — 3 in. diam., pure white 

 and deliciously fragrant. Fruit somewhat like a 

 chesnut in size, form, and taste ; said to be eaten 

 by the people. The flowers have medicinal pro- | | 

 perties and smelling them much is supposed to 

 cause ulceration of the nostrils. M. Venkatnar- 

 .nappa remarks in his notes, that owing to the 

 difficulty of manipulation the wood of Nagasampage 

 is rarely used in this province for building. But the 

 local superstition that it possesses a pecuhar attrac- 

 tion for serpents has perhaps more to do with its 



