Aug. 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
119 
flowered satinwood in Colombo ranges from B4 to 
K7 per cubic foot in the log. It has not yet been 
ascertained what the figure in the wood, which is 
merely curly fibre, is due to, and whether it is heredit- 
ary. It was found in some abundance in oue of the 
forests of the Puttalam district, which was exposed 
to the full blast of the monsoons and wind may have 
something to do with it, but I thick that it must 
be due also partly to the soil. There is streaky 
and curly flower, and it is the latter which gives the 
prettiest effects of satiu-like lu=-tre and which fetches 
the best prices in the market. Unflowered satinwood 
fetches prices up to E2'50 per cubic foot according 
to colour and size of the logs. Light-coloured logs 
are preferred although the darker ones are better 
for patching np old cabinet work. Logs of a dull, 
muddy colour are not appreciated. The best logs as 
regards colour and size are now obtained from the 
forests in the East of the island. Fine logs used to be 
obtained from Puttalam, but these forests have been 
more or less exhausted by timber traders in the old 
days. The finest logs T have seen were eight to nine 
ft. in girth. 
The logs for the home market are sent to the Cen- 
tral Timber Depot in Colombo, where they are tested 
for " flower," and the flowered logs set aside. 
Hitherto they have been sold according to market 
rates ; but, in future, on account of the great demand 
for flowered logs, the latter will be sold by auction. 
The proportion of flowered logs is not much above 5 
per cent. Satinwood is also sold at the Forest Depots 
or, when possible, standing in the forests. This has 
been the case in the Eastern provinces, where first- 
class logs have been stamped over one-sixtieth of the 
area, but the sale of the coupes v/as effected after 
the picked logs had been felled and sent to 
Colombo. 
The strength of the wood has not yet been tested 
with pieces of a proper size, the largest specimens 
tested having, according to Gamble, a cross-section 2 
in. square. I have not much faith in test^ made on 
pieces of timber which miy be taken from any part' 
of a log, and should like to see the example of the 
University of Sidney followed, where Professor W H 
Warren tests pieces of timber of the dimensions 
ordinarily employed for construction. According to 
Gamble the value of p. varies from 504 to 1,059, but I 
think, that, on an average, it will be nearer 1 000 than 
500. 
The uses to which this timber is put in Ceylon 
are the following ; — 
Cabinet work and furniture. Satinwood furniture 
is however, heavy; and is really suitable only when 
finely made, as in the case of Chippendale patterns. 
In cart-building it is used for the naves and spokes 
of heavy carts. It has been much used for house 
and bridge building, and the bridge at Peradeniya, 
near Kandy, consisting of a single arch 205 ft. wide, 
is built entirely of this wood. Ball-room floors made 
of Satinwood are considered good, but to my mind they 
are too hard, wanting in elasticity and much too hard, 
too slippery for dancing. Sleepers made of this timber 
have lasted over 20 years on the Ceylon Government 
Railway, and experiments are now being cariieu out in 
the new Colombo Harbour-works to test its resistance 
to the teredo. The pieces have only been put in posi- 
tion" a year ago, but so far they are intact. In the 
North of the island the wood is used for oil mills ; 
and in the Eastern province, hollow logs are in 
great demand for wells. Ploughs are usually made 
of this woo J. 
Minor Products. — According to the Dictionary of 
Economic Products, this tree yields a yellow dye and 
a wood-oil. I have, however, never heard of these 
products being employed in Ceylon. The bark, like 
that of other Meliaoeae, has medicinal properties, and 
a gum exudes from it which might prove to be a 
good substitute for gum arable. A. K. Broun in Indian 
Forester, 
Colombo. 28t'h March, 1899. 
THE PLANTING SEASON AT 
ZANZIBAR. 
The spell of dry which we have experienced 
for two years has at last terminated and the 
country from end to end will now be busy plant- 
ing. 7.13 inches of rain fell at Dunga on April 
2nd 6.07 inches ; being recorded between 5 p.m., 
and 3 a.m., and 10.18 in the great rain of the 
23rd. Sweet potatoes, muhogo, Indian corn, 
mtama, ground nuts, rice will all have been put 
in. We have called attention elsewhere to the 
expediency of planting cloves and the same 
urgency may be pleaded in favour of coconuts. 
Arabs don't plant now-a-days ; a few hundred 
coconuts here and there perhaps, but nothing 
more. What will be the state of this country in 
another decade or two if the yearly wa.ste among 
the cloves and coconut plantation is not repaired S 
The rearing of a coconut plantation is a long 
but not a laborious or expensive process, and 
money put into a coconut plantation is like money 
put into the bank, and at good interest too. 
We can understand the reluctance of Arabs to 
embark upon new ventures like cocoa, coffee or 
vanila, until something definite has been ascer* 
tained as to their suitability to this country but 
every planter on the island knows the value of 
the coconut industry. — The S/mmba, March, April 
and May. 
COFFEE CULTIVATION IN ( EYLON AND 
THE STRAITS. 
We are indebted to Mr. E. V. Oarey 
for an interesting letter addressed to us 
on his experience of Liherian coffee and 
hybrids from Coorg plants in the Straits, 
It is too soon to draw conclusions as to 
the success of the latter, but so far 
all is promising ; and it is certainly of 
interest to learn that the hybrids are free 
from the leaf fungus pest. Long may they 
continue so ! 
Meantime we learn from a very experienced 
Ceylon planter that coffee in Udapussellawa 
at 5,500 feet elevation and more or less 
under dense shade, is cropping well this year. 
There is hardly any "bug" to be seen on 
this coffee and none at all where the shade 
is very dense, although the crop is just as 
heavy as in the open — indeed heavier. This, 
our informant remarks, "conveys a lesson; 
but it comes too late." But then, we would 
remind him how shade did not save the 
well-known Hopewell coffee in Hantane, 
rising up to 4,000 feet ; and we have a clear 
recollection of a delightful coffee clearing 
on Nilainbe estate in the middle "seventies, 
which, we believe, was opened very carefully 
under shade ; but where is it now ? Never- 
theless, we sincerely trust that the experi- 
ment in Udapussellawa at a much higher 
elevation, and on splendid virgin soil, may 
continue to be very successful. 
CATTLE FOR NORTH CEYLON. 
Nearly a thousand head of bulls and calves 
were landed last week at Kayts, beincj brought 
from Fuliyur in South India by seme Moors. We 
also learn that some of the Maniagars, durin<; 
their recent trip to the metropolis, purchased and 
brought with them some very fine cows from the 
Government Dairy. —Cor. 
