3 



and then such trees usually flower. Though this may happen 

 more than once a year, at apparently no particular season, all or 

 nearly all trees of the same kind shed their leaves simultaneously. 

 In the extreme north of the Peninsula, the Langkawi Islands and 

 Siam there is a regular dry season and the trees all or nearly all 

 become then as bare as trees in winter in England. There being 

 no definite resting periods in our climate, the wood rings in the 

 timber of cold climate trees are usually inconspicuous or absent, 

 and as far as can be at present judged cannot be relied upon 

 as giving the age of a tree. In timber from the north, however, 

 where there are definite periods of rest, the rings are more clearly 

 defined. The greater part of the forests of the Peninsula are of 

 the same type, although certain trees are confined to higher 

 altitudes than others and some trees are very local, others again 

 seem to occur over the whole Peninsula. The Dipter icarpex 

 (Serayahs, Damarlaut, &c.) occur on all the dryer hillwoods, but 

 are to a large extent absent from the low swampy country bor- 

 dering the tidal rivers. They are to be met with up to an altitude 

 of 3,000 feet, but I believe seldom higher. The Oaks and Chest- 

 nuts grow usually in the low country and on the lower hills, 

 becoming scarce at 1,000 feet, and soon disappearing altogether 

 above that. Above 4,000 feet, the trees as a rule, are small, 

 gnarled and irregular, but the wood is often very hard and com- 

 pact. Tidal river forests are composed for the most part, of 

 trees of the order Rhizophoreoe, generally known as Bakau mixed 

 with Api-api {Avicennia) , Nireh {Carapa), Dungun {Heritiera). 

 The chief value of these except Api-api is for firewood, for which 

 they are much in request, while the barks of several are stronglv 

 astringent and used for tanning and dyeing. The bigger trees 

 of some of the Bakaus are also in request for piles, as the wood 

 is very durable in water. 



In some parts of the tidal rivers the Bakaus are replaced by 

 Sonneratias, of which there are three species, one or two occur- 

 ring where the water is quite salt, the other (S. acida) above the 

 salt water. They are useful in many ways. Above the point 

 where the salt water extends is also to be seen the Malebera, 

 Fagroea fastigiata, a most remarkable looking tree valued for piles. 



Secondary growth (Belukar) when forest has been felled and 

 burnt, put under cultivation and then abandoned, it is usually 

 quickly covered by lalang, unless the ground is very sandy when 

 fern springs up. Unless constantly burnt as is very often the 

 case this ground is usually gradually reafforested naturally with 

 secondary growth or Belukar. This is by no means always the 

 case, as I have often seen patches of ground formerly under forest, 

 which though unburnt for many years si ill bears nothing but 

 lalang. The secondary growth usually consists of small trees of 

 little value as timber, the following are the most characteristic: — 



Tiup-Tiup {Adinandra dumosd), Durian Tupai [Commersonia 

 echina/a), Leban {Vitex pubescens), Mahang [\I acaratiga hypo- 

 Icucrt, (4-/. javanica) Grewia umbellata> Svmplocos fascicalata , 



