A BULLETIN 474, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Redwood (now a rare trade name). 
Zipilote colorado and zipilote negro (interior of Mexico). 
Acajou, acajou a meubles, pois d’acajou, and mahagon (French in Venezuela 
and West Indies). 
Cedro cepolla (Colombia, S. A.). 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
At one time mahogany was believed to be a native only of the 
region extending approximately from the northern boundary of 
Costa Rica northward te Tampico in Mexico. It is now known, how- 
ever, to extend from the extreme southern point of Florida to the 
~ West India Islands, and along the Gulf coast in Mexico from Tam- 
pico southward through Central America and into South America. 
(See fig. 1.) Formerly it was very plentiful on the Island of Trini- 
dad and along the coast of the mainland to Venezuela. It is common 
in northeastern Colombia and Venezuela. In general,the smali-leafed 
species (Swetenia mahagoni) is found in Florida, the West Indies, 
Central and South America, and elevated parts of Mexico. It is com- 
mon ag elevations of from 3, 000 to 4,000 feet, where it grows slowly 
but produces wood of the best quality. The commercel distribution 
of the large-leafed species (Swietenia macrophylla) is not so well 
known, but it seems to be most abundant in British Honduras and 
along the coastal plains of southern Mexico. 
From 100 to 150 years are required for a mahogany tree to reach 
merchantable size. It grows both on high dry ground and in low 
moist situations. It is on the latter sites, in Mexico and Central 
America, that the largest timber is Drodiced 
Both species have been planted experimentally in India, Burma, 
Africa, and other tropical countries, first being introduced at the 
Calcutta Botanic Garden toward fe close of the eighteenth cen- 
tury. Since 1865 its artificial extension over India, Burma, Anda- 
man, and parts of east and west Africa has been fairly rapid. The 
large-leafed species has been introduced inte the Philippme Islands, 
where it grows very rapidly, but the wood is soit and of an oe 
quality. 
Provisions are made in several Centra! and Soutn American coun- 
tries within the natural range of mahogany to insure continuance of 
the supply by requiring those who have timber concessions to plant 
two mahogany trees for every mature one cut. This, however, has 
been found not only unprofitable, but unnecessary, since natural re- 
production on cut-over lands is usually good. At least one large tim- 
ber company operating in the Repu of Colombia has for over 20 
years faithfully carried out the terms of its contract by replanting 
cut-over areas, but the results are not encouraging. Planted trees 
often grow very slowly in comparison with those resulting from 
natural seeding. 
