542 
THE TROPICAL A13 R1T3ULTU Rl ST. [February r, 1890 
timbers of the Northern and Western Provinces, 
having served in the former 12 and in the latter 2J 
years, and was of opinion that the wants of the 
railway could be easily met, from such local timber as 
Doon (yakabalu), katakela, alubo, kahata, mendora, 
liyan, malpetta, mahadan, godapara, daminiya,madaliya, 
kina, baladamba, 
In the Northern Province, palu, yavarana, kumbuk, 
mi, tammana, hulanhik, kon, mora, the albizzias and 
milla. 
Of course Milla is but another form of Milila, Hal- 
milila being an almost perfect timber, while Hal 
itself is ranked with Hora as amongst the most 
inferior of our timbers, They all have their 
uses, however, even without being creosoted. 
Asked whence be expected to obtain the bulk of the 
sleepers, Mr. Clark said :— 
From Puwakpitiya near Avisawella and from Mitri- 
gala 12 miles from Hanwella. 
By what route could the sleepers in your opinion 
be most economically conveyed to Colombo or any 
other railway station ? 
By water carriage along thelKellaniganga. 
With regard to the present agreement with the mil- 
way to deliver Yakahalu Doon sleepers at Kelaniya 
for R3-50. Is that sum remunerative to the Forest 
Department? Yes. 
If the supply were extended to eight or more species 
instead of the one, could the rate be lowered. 
I think so, but I would observe that in the parti- 
cular forest in which the sleepers in question were 
cut the Dun is gregarious. 
With regard to the Northern Province from what 
particular district should you expect to obtain the 
sleepers required or the bulk of them 1 
Prom Irananadu forest, from the South Mullaitivu 
forests and from Chinavel on the Western coast and 
thence by ship to Colombo. 
What is the freight paid on timber from outstation 
posts to Colombo. 
R8 per ton of 50 cubic feet timber delivered along- 
side by the Forest Department and delivered at the 
ship's tackle in Colombo. 
It seems to us that red doon (dun,) sleepers at R3'50 
each are, relative longevity taken into account, 
cheaper than creosoted pine at R2'50, even if the latter 
can now be obtained at that price. — Mr. F. A. Stables 
then testified in favour of karri sleepers as we have 
indicated. He considered a broad gauge sleeper 
9* 0" by 10" by 5" cheap at 7s. His experience at 
the Cape as well as in India led him to prefer hard 
wood sleepers to creosoted pine. He had seen no 
timber on the Haputale line to compare with karri. 
Capt. A. M. Walker, Assistant Conservator, Southern 
Province, was examined by letter and gave very 
interesting and valuable information. He believed 
that the wants of the railway could be easily 
supplied from island resources. We copy as follows, 
question put and answers given 
It ha.s been given in evidence that the under- 
menlioned species are likely to yield a good hard 
wood sleeper. Can you furnish from your present 
Province any of the species therein named ; if so, 
which ? Can they be supplied in sufficient quantity 
to yield in consecutive years the outturn required ? 
Palu, Hal, Hora and other Dipterocarpaacese, Godapara, 
Kina, Red Dun, Daminiya, Pehimbiya, Kon (doubtful) 
.Mora, the Eugenia class, Millilla, Nebedda, Yavarana, 
Kehakela, Del, Gomala, Mi, Kahata (doubtful), Sapu 
and Zizyphus (doubtful). 
T can supply six out of the different woods named 
which can easily he supplied in sufficient quantity 
to yield in consecutive years the outturn required. 
They are Palu, Hora, Dorana, Godapara, Kina, 
Milla and Del. 
If your Province falls short of having 8 species 
comprised within that list, can you suggt st other 
spf cies to make up 8 or more ? If so, what arc they V 
I have added the names of sevon other woods which 
in my opinion should be very suitable for sleepers 
arid which can bo supplied hi tho quantity required 
yearly. 
Additional li-t of woods considered suitable for 
sleepers — (7) Yakkahalu (Doona of some sort iesem- 
bling re l Dun, an excellent wool f r bridges &c ). (8) 
Wanna Mi, (Bassia), a very good timber. (9) Ta- 
wnna ('' Di< hopsis petiolaris " probably), a good wood 
much uspd for house building have seen it us^d for 
BnHge planking, said to last well. (10) Kiri Kembil ya 
( " Dichopsis graudis "), resembling Tawenna. ( 1) 
Uruhonda ( " Lasianthera apicalis " ), said to bs a 
good and durable wood, should I think make a good 
sleeper. (12; Heddiwakka ( " C'hatocarpus castano- 
carpus"). (13) Kumbuk. This should I think make 
good sleepers. (14) Pepiliya ( " Aporosa atifolia" ). 
(15) [blank] or Welepiyana. ( " Ani-ophv Ilea zeyla- 
nica "), used for shingles, pos's &c. 
These two last named woods are to be found in 
large quantities, but I am doubtful as to their 
durability iu soil. Nos. 7, 8,9. Leaves of th-^e tr*es 
were forwarded to Dr. Trimen for identification but 
flowers and fruits are required to decide with certainty. 
I have given Hora, Taraoa and Del because they 
are in the list of woods which accompanied the 
questions, but they are undoubtedly soft woods and 
said not to last under exposure. 
I could enumerate many other woods which I 
consider preferable to Hora or Del. 
We are greatly surprised to find Capt Walker 
classing the fine timber of Del (Artocarpus nobilit) 
with Hora. Surely Del is far and away superior ? 
The great value of the series of experiments now 
being made will be more definitely to establish the 
relative values of timber about which at present wide 
differences of opinion exist. 
Noticing next the resources of the Eastern Pro- 
vince, Captain Walker said : — 
Of the species enumerated can be supplied in 
sufficient quantity, viz. Palu, Kina, Kon, Mora, Milla, 
Yavarana and Naval (" Eugenia . Jambol-ini ") . 
To these may be added the following found in the 
Province. Kumbuk. Pi°ri ( " Eaeo lendron glaucum "). 
Tumpali (<'Vatica obscura "), Heddewakke, Ka'othai 
(••' Chickrassia tsbulaiis"), and Magula ( " Mimu- 
sops elengi"). This is a fine wood strong ant very 
durable, it is not so liable to crack and split as 
Palu, it is to be found in most forests in the Batticaloa 
District, but very plentiful in none. I may also add 
Venanku (•'Pterosperrnum suberif'jlium"). Th's is 
plentiful in all the Forests but I am doubtful as to 
its durability. 
Capt. Walker then gave useful evidence, as to the 
routes by which timber could be conveyed, from 
which we gather that all along its course the 
southern railway will be within easy reach of 
timber suitable for sleepers. Capt. Walker advo- 
cated the sawing up of the timbers in the forest. 
Mr. H. F. C. Fyers, Assistant Conservator, North- 
western Province, agreed with the other witresses 
as to a sufficiency of forest resources, and wrote: — 
The following are the species named in the list sent 
that can be supplied from the province. (1) Palu ; (2) 
Hora; (3) Milhlla;(4) Yawarnai; (5) Del; (6) Kma; 
(7) Mi; (8) Mora; not in the list (9) Kum >uk ; (10) 
Lunumadalla. 
He added that Kumbuk and Lunumidel'a could be 
supplied in large quantities. The bulk of sleepers 
would be obtained from the Kurunegala and Put- 
talam districts. He added : — 
I expect to be able to get a very large number of 
Millilla sleepers from the forests about Giriulla. These 
can be transported without any difficulty to Allowwa 
(where a station is low being built) Ambepussay 
and Mirigamma. Ttiere are roads leading to all these 
stations and the carriage should be cheap, the forests 
are all witbiu about 15 miles of the railway stations. 
A portable saw mill he considered indispensable. 
We should think that the milila timber could be 
more profitably disposed of by the Forest De- 
partment than in the shape o* railway sleepers. 
Mr. J. E. L. Huddleston, Asst. Conservator, 
North-Central Province, truly represented the forest 
resources of that Province as abundant. The only 
