Timbers. 



316 



[October, 1909. 



useful notes on the matter, the points of 

 which are here reproduced : — 



It is likely that the planting of trees 

 suitable for timber purposes will receive 

 more attention at Antigua in the future 

 than it has done in the past. There is, 

 naturally, a good local demand for 

 timber, and the construction of 18 miles 

 of railway, involving the utilization of 

 a large quantity of timber for sleeper 

 purposes, will naturally increase this 

 demand. At present the amount of 

 timber grown at Antigua is very small, 

 but efforts are already in progress which 

 indicate that the home supply will in 

 time teud to increase. 



In the West Indies, as in other 

 countries, the great drawback to any 

 scheme of afforestation is the length of 

 time that must elapse before any return 

 can be obtained. This difficulty is inevit- 

 able at the start, however, and a certain 

 number of years must necessarily elapse 

 before an area of newly-planted wood- 

 land returns the outlay that has been 

 expended upon it, and becomes self- 

 supporting. 



In view of this fact, it becomes a matter 

 of chief importance, when any scheme of 

 tree planting is to be carried out, to 

 choose those species for planting which 

 are likely to give an early return, and to 

 be in good demand for special purposes. 



In his paper, Mr. Jackson enumerates 

 a list of trees which might be expected 

 to do well at Antigua. Special reference 

 is made to the species Eucalyptus 

 rostrata, or 'Red Gum.' This grows 

 satisfactorily even under somewhat un- 

 favourable conditions. At the Botanic 

 Station there is a sample of this species, 

 which, although no more than seven or 

 eight years old, and growing in pjor, 

 shallow soil, has a height of 35 feet, and 

 a circumference of 3 feet 8 inches at 10 

 feet from the ground. Although the 

 trunk of this specimen divides into tour 

 at about 12 feet from the ground, 

 each stem possesses serviceable timber. 

 Eucalyptus rostrata is well known as a 

 particularly hardy species, and thrives 

 well under a fairly wide range of con- 

 ditions. It stands drought well. The 

 wood of the tree is durable both in the 

 air and when buried in the soil. Pieces 

 of ' Rek Gum ' timber which have been 

 under the soil for two years at the 

 Antigua Botanic Statiou are still in an 

 excellent state of preservation. In 

 colour the wood varies from light red to 

 very dark red. If rapid growth and 

 good quality of timber are required, E. 

 rostrata can be recommended. 



Other species of Eucalyptus, which are 

 suitable for planting in parts of the 

 tropics, and yield useful timber, are E. 

 citriodora, E. corymbosa, E. teretecomis. 

 E< comuta, E< cribra, and E. miurotheca. 



At the Antigua Botanic Station there 

 exist, in addition to E. rostrata, speci- 

 mens of E. citriodora and E. comuta. 

 Both of these have an eiect growth. 

 The wocd of the former makes a useful 

 timber ; it has a close grain and splits 

 readily, E. comuta stands drought 

 well. Its wood is tough, hard, and 

 elastic. 



Estate owners and others who may 

 think of planting up Avaste lands, or at 

 least of increasing the number of trees 

 on their estates, may usefully make 

 selections from the following list of 

 timber trees :— 



Lignum-vitse (Guaiacum officinale). A 

 slow-growing tree yielding wood which 

 is exceedingly dense, hard, heavy, and 

 tough. This is extremely useful for a 

 variety of turnery purposes. 



Galba (Calophyllum Calaba). A tall 

 and somewhat quick-growing tree which 

 reaches a diameter of 4 or 5 feet. The 

 wood is durable, and is suitable for mill 

 rollers, frames, and for shingles, etc. It 

 bears exposure well. 



Mammee apple (Mammea americana). 

 This tree reaches 40 to 60 feet high, and 

 yields durable timber that is adapted 

 for use in exposed situations. The 

 mammee apple tree is not common at 

 Antigua, and it is probable that it would 

 not grow well in the drier parts of the 

 island. 



The 'red mangrove' (Rhizophora 

 Mangle) and the ' black mangrove ' 

 (Avicennia nitida) both grow in swamps, 

 and the wood in each case is valuable 

 for piles, posts, etc. 



White cedar (Tecoma leucoxylon). This 

 tree is common at Antigua. The wood 

 is used largely in house-building, and is 

 valuable for piles, posts, and in making 

 shingles. 



Logwood (Hoematoxylon compechi- 

 anum). This tree, which seldom reaches 

 more than 20 feet high, is also common 

 at Antigua. A very serviceable hedge is 

 formed by setting out the young plants 

 closely in rows. The wood is hard and 

 suitable for posts aud cabinet work. It 

 is also of considerable value as a dye- 

 wood. 



Cashaw (Prosojjis juliflora). The 

 cashaw grows to as much as 30 feet in 

 height, but its diameter is seldom more 

 than I foot. The timber is very strong 

 and durable, suitable for railway sleepers, 

 fence posts, etc. The pods of the cashaw, 

 when dry, form a good article of fodder, 

 and are greedily eaten by stock of all 

 kinds. The wood also makes excellent 

 fuel. 



Bastard mahogany, walunt or angelin 

 (Andira insrmis). A large and hand- 



