li 
CHAPTEE XII. 
CROWN LANDS. 
The following plants were set out during the year :— 
At Nion— 560 feet high. 
Parkia Eoxburghii ... 
450 
Gum copal (Trachylobium verrucosum) 
1902 
Tamarind (T. Indica) 
36 
Gliricidia niaculata ... 
461 
Calice du Pape (Tecoma leucoxylon) 
622 
Latanier (Stevensonia graudiflora)... 
215 
Cocoplum (Chrysobolanus icaco) 
536 
Sang dragon (PterocarpusindicU'^) ... 
50 
Palm oil (Eleis guiueensis) ... 
150 
Para rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis) ... 
12 
Bois de table (Heritieralittoralis) ... 
950 
Takamaka (Calopphyllum inophyllum) 
147 
Cedars (Casuarina equiseti folia) ... 
90 
Styrax Benjoin 
2 
At Delanos— 1500 to 2000 feet. 
Various citrus plants 
163 
Eobusta & other allied coffee 
2.50 
Bois Maret (Uapaca Grifiithii) 
141 
Pearch (Persica vulgaris) 
33 
Bois de fer (Vateria Seychellarum)... 
20 
Bois de natte (iinbricaria Seychellarum) 
15 
Capucin (Notthea Seychellana) 
150 
Palm oil (Eleis Guinensis) ... 
50 
At Peeaed— 
•1500 FEET. 
Selected Mangoes 
12 
Loquat (Eriobotrja japoaica) 
10 
Anona Cherimoya 
10 
Carissa carandas 
1 
Longan (Nephelium Longanum) 
5 
Sapota nigra... 
1 
Bollinia. sif^bftri 
10 
Hybrid Java coffee ... 
8 
Star apple (Chryphyllum cainito) ... 
1 
Canarium amboinense 
2 
At Moene Blanc —1000 feet. 
Gum copal (Trachylobium verrucosum) 
24 
Selected mangoes 
4 
Flacourtia Eamontchi var ... 
20 
Cocoplum (Chrysobolanus icaco) 
200 
Hybrid Java cofBeee ... 
4 
At Dugand Ceown Land —200 feet. 
Coco raisin (Seychelles coconut) 
• • • 
17 
Carissa carandas 
7 
Ceylon coconut 
• • • 
12 
Prosopis julifiora (fodder seeds) 
17 
Mangoes 
21 
Selected citrus 
14 
Gum Copal on boundary lines 
... 
17 
At 
Goveenment 
House— 100 feet. 
Canarium Luzoniense 
» « • 
7 
Queensland nut (Macadamia ternifolia) 
Tonka beau (DipWix odorata) 
1 
Hybrid Java coffee ... 
• • • 
7 
2 
Palm oil (soft shelled) 
•. • 
6 
Sorindeia Madagascariensis (small mango) 
1 
A large consignment of seeds of Gum copal was received from a planter of Nossi-Be, 
Madagascar. These seeds were kept a long time in transit from want of shipping facilities. 
They were shelled before being sown and in spite of a long journey about 3000 plants have 
been raised. I understand from old inhabitants that this tree was formerly very common in 
Mahe but that it was used as timber all over the Island. There are at present only very few and 
poor specimens left; they can be counted on the fingers of the hand. The timber is very good 
and various things go to show that the tree is a quick grower, even in poor soils, which are 
so common in Seychelles, It is proposed to take advantage of this hardiness by planting as 
many as possible on Crown Lands. In the north of Madagascar it reaches enormous dimen¬ 
sions and produces by natural exudation in old age a gum which is sold at high prices about 
(Es 2 a kilog), in Europe for the manufacture of copal varnish. The seeds emit by burning 
a dense smoke which is much used in Madagascar as a repellent against mosquitoes. 
The Crown Lands at Praslin are all leased to lessees of whom a list was recorded last 
year. Pointe Zanguilles has been given up by Mr Dubignon to whom it was 
rented at Es 100 per annum, and leased to a neighbouring proprietor, Mr Bessin, for 15 years 
at Es 50 p. a. increasing quinquenially to Es 60 and Rs 70. This Crown Land is a worn out 
estate abondoned by its former proprietors and forms a promontory opposite Curieuse Island. 
A few coconut and coco de mer trees, much stunted in growth were set out formerly by Go¬ 
vernment and the late lessees. The soil is only suitable in patches for these palms, the rest 
of the land is strewn with huge boulders in the intersectices of which Takamaka trees have 
grown remarkably well. The new lessees will be given the permission to cut these trees at the 
rate of only a few at a time, in well selected spots, suitable for planting coconuts. In other 
spots the land will be left as it is, these Takamaka trees forming a dense vegetation which 
in the long run will considerably improve the soil. This estate is too dry to allow the culture of 
vanilla or other plants, except in patches and for a short time. 
P. E. DUPONT, 
Curator of Botanic Station ► 
10th March, 1917. 
