Febrtjari r, 1890] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST* 
stating the probable number of sleepers to be obtained 
from a large tree I refer to the Metre Gauge Line 
which has a sleeper 6' x 8" x 4". I do not see why 
with a vast supply of this and other large trees, such 
as kumbuk or some of the diptarocarpaacie (Hal, Hora, 
Meudora and 01 hers) the supply could not without 
difficulty, be obtained. The Kolon, I kuow has been 
used in India on the Kuinaon and Bobilcund Railway, 
and although the wood is good in many respects it 
does not appear to have been able to stand the exposure 
and after three years the whole st ..ck had to be renewed. 
I do not see why tbe following species should not be 
suitable : — Godapora, Kiua, Red or Hill Dom, Daminiya 
and Pehimbia. About kon I am doubtful, as the 
Indian tree has not a very good repute and is gene- 
rally small. Mora and most of the eugenias of which 
there are many species in Oeyion should be good. Palu, 
Mililla, Nebedda, Yavarana, Keta-kela (this possibly 
might be too brittle) Del and Gomala. Mi, I should 
consider a very good wood. With regard to feahata 
I can only speak of the Indian tree which has not a 
very good repute and grows small. With regard to 
Na the main difficulty likely to arise is cost of working 
and it might probably prove too brittle. The sapu 
has also a good reputation. The zizyphus jujuba and 
zizyphus xylopyra have good reputations as half round 
tleepers in India but I am douotrul whether these 
grow to any size in Ceylon, I have had no actual 
experience of these woods as sleepers in Oeyion but 
my experience of the use of several of tbe same species 
or genera in India as sleepers on several Railways 
leads me to the conclusion I have formed. Of the 
others, I speak simply from their reputation as woods 
or from actual knowledge. In respect to hard wood 
timbers grown in the wet and dry zone aud their re- 
spective merits for sleeper purposes it is not a necessary 
conclusion that a hardwood sleeper of the same species 
grown in the dry districts has a better quality than 
hat grown in the moist districts. 
With reference to this evidence it strikes us 
that surely the Government of India must by this 
time have obtained from the State and Subsidized 
Railways a mass of information regarding timbers 
that are in use or have been the subjects of 
experiment on the lines, which evidence, in 
a convenient form, could be supplied to the 
authorities in Ceylon. If not already asked 
for, we would suggest that application should 
be made by our Government to the Indian 
authorities. From the pages of the Indian Engi- 
neer, we gather that neither Himalayan deodar nor 
any other timber locally available can compare with 
sal, just as in Ceylon nothing can excel millila. 
But sal in India and millila in Ceylon are far 
too valuable for cabinet and general purposes to be 
available for railway sleepers and the great object is 
to prove the fitness for railway purposes of the 
numerous forest trees for which at present there is no 
demand in the general market. Broad gauge sleepers 
are of course larger than metre gauge, the 
dimensions of the former being 9' x 10'' x SI". 
Regarding the Karri sleepers, Col. Gorman 
deposed that the weight of the timber was 
about 60 lb. per cubic foot, and allowing 3J 
cubic feet for eaoh sleeper, the weight of a 
sleeper is no less than 188 lb, Mr, E. C Davies 
had 11 years exper enoe of island timbers but 
l ad litne 1 xpeiiduce of Australian wood with the 
excepiii n ot jarra, which hiis been used by me for 
piles and stringers in jetty work. I kuow karri timber 
by repine only. It has similarities with jarra and is 
of very much the same color and weight. 
Mr. Davies's opinion of the Karri sleepers we have 
already indicated. He stated: — 
For bridge planking aud jetties we u«e Milla, Palu, 
Satin, Mendora, Sapu, Ranai and Na. I consider any 
of these would be suitable for sleepers, ililla being 
the best. 
Supplies of Habd Wood Sleepers from Local 
Resources. 
Mr. J. Alexander, Assistant Conservator of Forests, 
Central Province, who had been more than four 
years in the Department and was acquainted with 
the trees in the North-Uentral, Central and Uva 
Provinces, indicated the following timbers as suit- 
able for sleepers : — 
In the North-Oentral Province and in the Matale 
District of the Central Province the following species 
would I feel pretty confident meet the ge neral require- 
ments: Kumbuk, Mi, Palu, Hulanhik, Kon, the Albizzias; 
Munnamal, Velangu, Kahata, Nebedda, Godapara, 
Dambu, Mora an I Ketakela, arranged in order of 
merit as sleeper woods. 
In other parts of the Central Province some of 
these species may be found and of other likely woods, 
I would mention the red and white Doons, Wa, 
Dawata, some of the Eugenias, (the Alubo and the 
various Dambas) Mibiriya, Sapu, Kina Liyau aud 
Galsiyambala. I do not think Rana suitable for sleepers 
as my experience is that Rana does not 6tand exposure 
well. 
It will be observed that Mr. Alexander speaks of 
" the various Dambas," meaning, of course the 
upcountry Eugenias. Mr. Alexander indicated the 
places where timber could be obtained and the 
routes by which it could be conveyed to where it 
was wanted and added : — 
The cost of transport of a log from the North-side 
of Dambulla is 20 to 25 cents per cubic foot and 
South of that place about 15 cents, to Matale. 
A portable steam engine, keeping original cost out 
of view, would effeot a saving of 50 per cent in 
cost of sleepers. There was abundance of timber 
in the lowcountry of Uva, but its carriage up to 
Haputale could be costly. 
Mr. F. Lewis, Forester of the Province of Sabara- 
gamuwa, was of opinion that 
Provided the railway are ready to accept sleepers of 
several species the Province of Sabaragamuwa might 
reasonably be expected to contribute at least 5,000 
sleepers in three years and so on continuously. 
The following Bpecies would bo suitable, arranged 
in order of merit: kumbuk, doon, (Yakahalu) mendora, 
panukera, kina (red or hill), alubo, kaddawakku, and 
bomi. 
There are other species, which, although good, I 
consider of secondary value : godapara, naimbul, kon, 
madul, pelan, muruta, damba. 
I should also certainly include mill- as a suitable 
sleeper wood, but it is getting scarce in my district. 
Na may also be added to the above list. 
It is curious to see Mubutu (Lagerstrcemia flos 
regince) put in the category of inferior timbers, 
while in continental India it ranks next to teak in 
value. Mr. Lewis went on to say : — 
From Gilimale forest I could supply pannukera, 
alubo, bomi (a good fibrous grained wood), yakahalu 
doon, kaddawakku, kiua, naimbul, madul and muruta. 
From the vi«inity of Kahawatta near Pelmadulla in 
the Valley of the Wegi.nga, I could furnish kumbuk 
principally, that particu ar wood being in my 
opinion the first on the list. I don't propose to take 
any other from there, but of kumbuk there are 
very large supplies. 
From the Etbedda Mukalana in the. Kuruwitikorle 
1 could supply mi, pelan, mencora, kaddawakku and 
alubo. From all these timber can be floated down 
the Kalnganga. 
It will be observed that Mr. Lewis regards Kumbuk 
as No. 1 in his list of suitable timbers. With this 
testimony and Colonel Clarke's own favourable 
opinion of this plentiful and grand timber tree, we 
should have expected that it would be amongst the 
first submitted for trial as to its fitness for sleepers. 
If a steam saw were provided, Mr. Levus held 
that 50 p. 0. on the sawing could be saved. 
I Mr. A. Clark, Assistaut Conservator of Forests, 
Western Province, was acquainted chiefly with the 
