XVl 
FORESTS 
159 
The Kenia forest is, without doubt, the most valuable 
forest in the Protectorate. This is so, not only on 
account of the average density and excellence of the 
trees, but also on account of the peculiar conditions 
which will render the export of the timber both easy 
and profitable. The bulk of the trees are of the usual 
four varieties, the two yellow-woods, cedar and 
camphor, but the hard woods are here present in a 
greater proportion to the soft. A general average of 
areas measured showed 3,625 cubic feet to the acre, 
though of course this is in many parts far exceeded. 
The finest timbered parts of the forest are the south¬ 
east portion of the crescent, where there is a belt of 
huge camphor trees growing at a height of between 
6,000 and 7,500 feet. The average cubic contents 
per acre of this area are certainly in excess of 7,000, 
while in some patches they probably reach 9,000—and 
also the almost pure cedar portion to the north-west 
corner. 
It is not, however, only the amount and value of 
the timber which must be considered in appreciating 
this forest, but also the comparative ease with which 
this timber can be removed. In the first place, unlike 
the forests on the Mau, and indeed in most other parts 
of the continent, this forest is not to any great extent 
intersected by ravines or gullies. Mr. Hutchins, by 
far the first authority on African timbers, though hold¬ 
ing opinions possibly open to criticism on the adminis¬ 
trative and economic side, points out that the general 
shape of Kenia is like an inverted saucer, with a 
snowy, tooth-like ridge in the middle. The ground rises 
slowly and imperceptibly up to the forest, and for 
the most part slowly and gradually through the timber 
belt. This easy gradient is of the utmost value 
