26 MR. BENNETT ON THE SPECIES OF CROTON: 
quietly in а few places, penetrating twice about 8 miles inland. 
On this, the N.E. side of the lake, beyond the belt of swamp 
bordering it, the soil is fine rich loam, well-watered, and capable 
of growing any tropical produce. Some cleared ground occurs 
here and there; but very little of it is now under cultivation; for the 
growth of cotton itis well adapted. If the attention of the present 
occupiers could be turned to this article, several hundred square 
miles contiguous to water might produce cotton, which could be 
carried to Lagos by canoes merely across the lake. А consider- 
able quantity of cotton is now coming down from Abeokuta (distant 
70 miles from Lagos by river); the price paid there for cotton in 
the seed is one halfpenny per 1b., three of which yield one pound 
pure when cleaned. Labour of cleaning, transit to Lagos, with 
shipment, raise it to 84. per lb. ; one penny more, freight to Liver- 
pool, leaves still a profit; but a much larger supply is necessary 
before the leading merchants here will enter into the trade with 
the same advantage that now attends their dealings in palm oil. 
Too much must not be expected of Central Africa as a cotton- 
producing country ; the plant needs more moisture than it would 
obtain in much of the land in the interior, and water-carriage 
should never be far distant in a country where all loads are con- 
veyed by canoe or on the heads of men and women. There is 
plenty of available land near the sea and by rivers ; the great valley 
of the Niger would alone yield an enormous supply: it is here 
cotton must be looked for, and its growth encouraged; the great 
plains of the interior are almost as useless in this respect as 
Sahara itself. 
I remain, Sir, your most obedient Servant, 
CHARLES BARTER. 
Note on the species of Croton described by Linnæus under the 
names of Olutia Eluteria and Clutia Cascarilla. By Јони 
J. Benner, Esq., F.R.S., Sec. L.S. ' 
[Read April 21st, 1859.] 
Dvnrxe a late residence in the Bahama Islands, the attention of our 
indefatigable member, Dr. W. F. Daniell, was especially directed 
to the species of Croton growing in those islands ; and I am enabled, 
by his kind communication of the specimens collected by him, to 
