Vol. VIII. Xo. 19.3. 



THE AGKICULTUKAL NEWS. 



.303 



THE WEST AFRICAN OIL PALM AS 

 A SHADE TREE. 



Information in connexion with tlie West African oil 

 palm (EIneis ijtiinetnsis) has been given fuom time to time in 

 the A'lrirHltural Xews (Vol. V, ]}. 360 ; \'ol. VI, p. 20(5 : 

 Vol. VII, p. 373). In addition to the uses there mentioned, 

 it is stated in the Journal d'Ai/rirultiire Tropicale, Nos. 

 ■^3 and -tG ^from which some of the following facts are taken) 

 that it is employed in some parts of West Africa as a shade 

 tree for cacao, and that it has been suggested in the same 

 ■conne.xion for vanilla. In addition, it is sometimes used 

 there to provide shade for leguminous plants, and in the 

 nursery and kitchen garden. 



Among the chief re([uisites of a shade tree are that it 

 should be of (juick growth and yet not capable of attaining 

 such a height as to be no longer of use in intercepting the 

 a-ays of the sun. It should not draw extensively on the 

 plant food in the soil, and should be able to flouri.sh under 

 very different conditions of this. The .shade provided by it 

 must not be so deep as to prevent the plants beneath it from 

 getting sufficient light. As it will most probably have to 

 resist the force of high winds, the fibres in the stem must 

 mot be brittle. In special ca.ses, too, the leaves must persist 

 ■during dry seasons and the plant must be of a kind which 

 will not suffer by the removal of branches or leaves for the 

 purpose of regulating artificially the amount of shade. 

 Finally, it is an advantage if such a tree is capable of yield- 

 ing a jiroduct of commercial value. 



The oil palm has been found in West Africa to fulfil 

 •all these conditions, although as regards the first, some 

 inconvenience is caused by the fact that it takes three years 

 for the bunch of leaves that it forms near the level of the 

 ground to leave a clear space of 6 feet above it. Its height 

 does not often exceed 36 feet. As far as soil conditions 

 are concerned, it is not exacting, growing almost ei|ually well 

 in dry or wet land, and in rich alluvial or poor soils ; in 

 addition, it does not injure that which is occupied by neigh- 

 bouring jilants. The large leaves, which are 12 feet and 

 more in length, stretch out in every direction and at all angles, 

 forming a shifting shade that is never too dense. The 

 re.sistance which it offers to the wind is due both to the 

 ■density of its root .system and to the ease with which it bends, 

 -and is .said to be only equalled by that of the cocoa-nut palm. 

 No injury to the sheltered plants is to be apprehended from 

 the falling leaves, for, like those of all palms, they are 

 persistent at the base, so that if they are broken by the wind 

 or withered by age, they hang vertically as they dry uj) and 

 then, when thsy finally part from the tree, slide gently to the 

 ground, close to the trunk. An additional advantage is 

 •derived from the fact that, as the part which provides the 

 shade is borne at the top of the stem, at a distance from the 

 ground, the air is alloweil to circulate freely among the 

 plants beneath it. 



The conditions are also fulfilled by this palm, as a shade 

 tree, in the special cases where continual .shelter from the 

 sun is required, and where the amount of this must be 

 capable of being regulated. Owing to its very nature, it 

 - always possesses leaves, whether the season is wet or dry. 

 From the same cause, too, it has no woody branches which 

 have to be removed when it is de.sired to les.sen the amount 

 of shade, .so there is no risk of injury in doing this. On the 

 contrary, it is only a matter of the reduction of the 

 number of leaves — a process which is at oiice easy and safe. 

 Then, when the time of year arrives at which more shade is 

 required, the .spaces are speedily filled up by the (juick 

 growth of new leaves. 



The utilization of the oil palm as a .shade tree for cacao 



is simple where, as in many parts of West Africa, this plant 

 is already present, in large numbers— to such an extent, 

 indeed, that It is often nece.ssary to reduce them by thinning 

 out, before it can be employed for the purpose. In such cases, 

 the cacao can be rai.sed directly under the shade already [pro- 

 vided for it. It is a different matter when the palms have 

 to be raised for the special purpose. The chief difficulty 

 arises from the fact that, for about three years from the time 

 of planting the seed of the palm, it would not be possible to 

 place the cacao where it was required to grow. There are 

 two reasons for this. In the first year, the few rudimentary 

 leaves do not supply sufficient shade ; in the .second and the 

 third, the large leaves that would be produced would stretch 

 out near the ground, providing little shade, and injuring 

 many young plants near them. In this way, time is lost. 

 I-t may, however, be possible to eflFect a .saving of this by 

 utilizing the time that elapses before the cacao is planted out, 

 in growing the palm where it would be required ; but this is 

 a matter for practical trial under the special conditions of 

 any given country. 



In making new plantations of the palm in countries 

 where it grews in a wild state, the young plants are simply 

 taken from where they have sprung up near the old ones. 

 Where it does not grow in any quantity, it is necessary to 

 raise them in nurseries and then to plant them out. The 

 best time for transplantation is at least one year from the 

 sowing of the seed. At this period, if it is set out during 

 wet weather, the young plant easily survives any injury that 

 it may have received, and has the best chance of attaining 

 the required development by the end of the third year. 



Iteference to the articles in the Aijrindtiiral AV«'.s that 

 have already been cited will show that this plant amply 

 fulfils the condition where it is desired to employ a shade 

 tree that yields a product of commercial value. In countries, 

 however, where it grows in large numbers, it is not only 

 esteemed for the valuable oil that is obtained from the fruit. 

 By various methods of bleeding the trunk, a fermentable 

 liquid is obtained from it, and, like the cocoa-nut palm, it is 

 made to provide fences, food, shelter, clothing and fuel. 



RICE IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



The last forfcnio;htly report of Messrs. Sandbacb, 

 Parkor & Co., of Georgetown, on the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, dated September 4, 1909, gives 

 information as follows: — 



The weather during the jjast fortnight has been favour- 

 able on the whole, though high winds accomjianied by heavy 

 showers of rain have done some little damage to the ripening 

 rice. Although the weather was favourable for milling, very 

 little has been done, as there is no paddy in millers' hands, 

 stocks being about exhausted. 



The local demand continues brisk, and prices have been 

 well maintained, several small lots having changed hands at 

 the equivalent of 18.s. 9rf. per bag of ISO lb., f.o.b. 



The large millers are endeavouring to complete deliverie.s 

 on account of contracts made some time ago, and all stocks 

 will, we expect, be cleared before the end of this month. New 

 crop rice may be expected on the market about mid-October, 

 but the bulk of the crop will not be reaped until end of 

 October or iarly November. 



We quote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, for good e.\-i>ort 

 quality : — 



ISn-. 9</. to 19s. %d. per bag of 180 &>. gross. 

 17s. 3</. to ISs. 3(/. „ „ 164 „ „ 



We have, however, no stock to offer for export. 



