Indian Forest Records. 
14 
[VOL III. 
especially to the West Coast, where in many localities they are abundant 
and grow to large trees with long straight stems. 
Lagerstrcemia parvifolia. 
A large tree of most deciduous forests of India. Sleepers of this 
timber are mentioned in the International Railway Congress report as 
being used by the Assam and Bengal Railway. It is a hardwood 
and should be useful for sleepers after treatment. 
Lagerstrcemia tomentosa. 
Leza-wood is fairly durable and mechanically strong enough for 
sleepers. It is found scattered in the forests of Burma and the annual 
outturn is put at 6,000 tons or 80,000 B. Gr. sleepers. Had this species 
not been scattered over so great an area rendering the cost of extraction 
excessive, it would have found place in the first class. 
Hope a parviflora. 
The Irumbogam of Madras and especially of Malabar is without 
doubt an excellent timber and nearly equal to Sal in quality. Its dis¬ 
tribution is limited, though fairly plentiful in certain localities. The 
Madras Railway in classifying timbers suitable for sleepers placed 
Teak as first and Irumbogam as second, bracketed with Sal and Jarrah. 
CLASS III. 
In class III have been entered 10 species ; objection may be taken 
to this arrangement, as for instance to Vitex altissima and Pterocarpus 
Marsupium, both excellent timbers, but, on the other hand, the quantity 
available from any one locality is relatively small. Again, the three 
conifers have been classed low down the list for the reason that their 
mechanical fitness is doubtful. Anjan (Eardwickia binata) sleepers 
have been reported as lasting 7 to 8 years, the timber seasons badly 
however and is extremely hard and difficult to saw ; the same objections 
apply to Anogeissus latifolia. Of the other three, Pcecilo neuron 
indicum is not very plentiful though a good timber, while Albizzia 
odoratissima has a wide distribution and is a fair timber but is not 
abundant. 
( 87 ) 
