CHAPTER IV. 
The Timbers. 
H AVING in Chapter III. afforded the means of identification of at least all the more common and more important trees found in the Province, I now come to deal with 
the timbers produced by them, leaving recommendations concerning the means of extraction and other economic questions for Chapter VI. The one difficulty which 
presents itself everywhere is that there is no proof available concerning the value of almost any local timber. Certain local species are well-known in South Africa, and as their 
timber qualities and properties have already been dealt with in my “ I* orest Flora of Cape Colony,” I have considered it would be redundant to repeat these here, especially 
since there is little local experience to add in these cases, except the fact that theoretically any species produces timber of more rapid growth, often softer, less strong and less 
durable, when grown under more tropical conditions than when grown in the mountain forests of the south. This, however, has not been proved here so far ; indeed, in actual 
forestry it is hardly worth proving, since few of the Cape kinds form a commercial proportion here, and the few species which do so are represented in the Cape by outlying 
stragglers rather than by normal stock. 
Again, the soil conditions are so totally different, being for the greater part either sand or alluvial mud here, as against mountain forest humus there, that the 
probability of results being the same is very small. In that invaluable work, Gamble’s “Manual of Indian Timbers,” many of our species and many Indian species, closely 
allied to other local kinds, are dealt with, but there also local conditions differ considerably from ours ; indeed, even within this Province local conditions vary to an extent which 
renders any exact description of specific qualities almost impossible, except after a close acquaintance extending over several years. Hut, as already mentioned, there is little 
local experience to work upon. The population is native ; the native hardly requires timber, and his few requirements do not show what the European wishes to know. With 
him, hardness is usually a fault, since it renders the tree difficult to fell and the timber difficult to work ; strength counts for almost nothing, elasticity for very little ; durability 
and resistance to white ants are of considerable importance ; lightness is a high quality for canoe work ; bark suitable for cloth, string or water-baskets is valuable ; and fruit 
which is edible, or especially fruit from which wine or spirit can be produced, is the highest qualification a tree can have. The trees reserved in native gardens in accordance 
with native practice are entirely of the two latter classes ; for the timber itself no tree is reserved. The few Europeans scattered through the outlying districts have generally 
accepted the native evidence as to what is durable and easily worked ; these then are the qualities given prominence in their domestic economy. I find it is most deceptive to 
take the appearance of a timber when freshly cut as proof of what it will be when seasoned, as for instance that of the Fever tree, which when felled has the appearance of a 
good sound hardwood, while three months afterwards what the borers have left is absolutely worthless, as indeed is the timber even if preserved from borers. So also with 
Impeshu and several other well-known instances ; and this made me hesitate to use such evidence in regard to kinds less well-known. Fortunately several considerable 
collections of timber specimens have been prepared, mostly under instructions from His Excellency the Governor-General, who has taken a deep interest in the utilization and 
realization of the timber products of the Province, and as I had an opportunity of examining these, I consider that this part of the subject will be best met by a description of 
them, supplemented by what my observation in the forest and elsewhere could add. The specimens were collected by the various Administratadors one or more years ago, and 
the local native name either written upon the log itself or written on a gummed attached label, consequently there is little chance of error after leaving the district in which each 
was collected ; while (apart from spelling) the exactness of the native terminology renders identification, in so far as they are under known names, fairly accurate, as has been 
confirmed, in some cases at least, by fresh material. But the spelling varies much, each Administratador giving bis own interpretation to the native pronounciation, and I find 
that in many cases my spelling does not agree with that given by these officials, who naturally use the Portuguese method of reducing the sounds to phonetic spelling. There 
are also included many specimens, mostly from Magude, Manhica, Sofala and Upper Gaza (which localities I did not visit), under names which I have not met elsewhere, and 
which must consequently remain for the present not botanically identified. I feel sure, however, that most of the species represented by these logs are described in Chapter 
III., and will eventually have the native and botanical names connected, so I have not hesitated to describe these along with the others, and thus utilize the material available, 
even at the risk of describing the same timber twice. Wherever I felt reasonably sure, the botanical name has been added ; where I felt doubt or had nothing to go by, it has 
been omitted ; in every case where the botanical name is present it has been added by myself from these sources. I have retained the spelling given by the Administratadors, 
even though I did not concur in it, as it will probably be more easily followed than what I have given, which again suits British usage. 
The first collection seen was that at Quisico, prepared ii years previously by Administratador Alves of Zuvala, who takes a strong interest in the local forests, as well 
as in the local natives and their lore, and who personally knew the more important local trees as well as the natives themselves. The specimens were half-sections, 20 c.m. long, 
sawn to form and then polished with the leaves of Ficus silicea (Barowre). 
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