CHAPTER XX. 
THE TEAK TREE (Tectona grandis). 
This tree is found principally in India; and from the 
southern limits of its range in Java it is distributed over 
about 2,000 miles, until it touches close upon the 23* 
of North latitude. Its range in longitude is also very 
considerable, since it is found to stretch across Hindustan, 
and through Burmah to near the frontier of China. It 
was formerly very plentiful in the Malabar district, but 
is now only sparingly met with there. At Bombay, 
where a few years since it was supplied in sufficient 
quantities from the adjacent province to meet all the 
demands for ship-building and other purposes, builders 
have now, owing to its almost complete exhaustion, to 
draw upon other sources to meet the local requirements. 
The most extensive, and probably the best, forests 
of Teak at present existing are in Burmah, where they 
lie spread along the banks of the Salween, Thongyeen, 
Irrawaddy, and other rivers. They also stretch very 
far inland to the countries occupied by the Shans, the 
Karens, and the Chinese. Other forests stretch con¬ 
siderably to the north, and there, upon some of the 
undulating and mountainous districts, it becomes 
dwarfed to a rather insignificant tree. Teak is also 
