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It has been found in some districts that the most suitable soil for 

 the growth of tall straight teak trees is the alluvial, except when it is 

 low lying and wet ; in such it is said to produce a lighter, coarser- 

 grained wood, containing an acid oil which affects iron very materially. 

 The tree will also grow on a moderately stiff loam with free subsoil 

 drainage ; the teak takes up from the soil a quantity of silica, hence 

 sandstone and granite will serve, for it is to this large secretion of silica 

 must be attributed the strength and durability of the timber. In Bur- 

 mah, the upper mixed forests, which are the principal seat of teak in 

 that district, occupy exclusively the soft sandstone formations of the 

 Pegu Roma, and also the older strata of the hills to the eastward. Forests 

 occurring on the latter formation differ a good deal from those found on 

 sandstone, not only in their general growth, but also by an admixture 

 of trees, which do not occur on the sandstone ; while on the Pegu Roma 

 the trees attain an average height of about 120 feet. Those found on 

 schistose substrata seldom exceed 80 or 90 feet, showing that soft sand- 

 stone produces lofty trees, and metamorphic rocks yield big trees. The 

 position best suited for their growth is that on the southern and wes- 

 tern slopes of the hills, where they are exposed to a strong sun, and 

 they require an annual rainfall of about 30 inches. These several points 

 should be considered in choosing sites for new plantations. Then as to 

 the seed, this should be gathered and sown when it is ripe, as then, the 

 juices, not having dried up, the germination will be more speedy, and 

 further, the seed should be always taken from young and healthy trees. 

 A few years after planting an income may be derived from thinning, 

 which will pay the expenses of management. These thinnings are readily 

 purchased, as they are admirably suited for fencing, scaffoldings, and 

 many economic purposes, poles for carts, yokes, &c , &c, The prepar- 

 ing of the timber is interesting. At the opening of the season, the 

 tree is sawn partly through above the roots, and left in that state for a 

 time to absorb the sap, then it is felled to the ground and trimmed into 

 shape. It may now be left for one or two seasons, or may be at once 

 dragged by elephants to the banks of the rivers and floated down to 

 the sea on the first rise of the waters. In Malabar, the timber mer- 

 chants who purchase the trees have them felled and conveyed to the 

 adjacent streams, down which they are taken to the markets on the 

 Coast, where an inland duty of five per cent, is levied. From this de- 

 pot, the Bombay or foreign merchants export them, at an enormous 

 profit, to the Coast dealer, who then pays an additional three per cent, 

 or, in all a duty of eight per cent, per candy on its leaving the Coast. 

 The working of the teak forests is, to a very large extent in the hands 

 of British subjects; but this is not the case with the purchase of the 

 timber. From statistics just to hand from private sources, it is known 

 that British buyers represent about 42 per cent, of the business, natives 

 48 per cent., and Chinamen 10 per cent. The British purchasing trade 

 is almost entirely in the hands of the Borneo Company Limited, and 

 the Bombay-Burmah Trading Corporation, of which two firms the 

 former is the longest-established, and has the largest interest. — r>o~ 

 duce World. 



