182 
the reports that wherever railway extension hag taken 
place, or other facilities of transport have. been 
improved, there has been a marked expansion of the Oil 
Palm industry. 
(@ As to the quality of the oil produced, very little change 
; as taken place in the methods of preparation. The 
Lagos oil commands the best price, but there appears to 
be no reason why oil from other parts should not be of 
equal value with Lagos oil, since some of the oil from 
Sierra Leone is said to be of the same quality. It is 
possible that further improvement could be made to 
enhance the value of the Lagos product. 
varieties are rare. Careful chemical investigation will 
be required before this question can be answered in a 
satisfactory manner. 
(f) The question as to the relative abundance of the varieties 
has already been answered, 
(g) With regard to the degree of moisture in the soil, required 
0 ensure a maximum yield of oil, the reports are some- 
what conflicting. One point is clearly brought out that 
the Oil Palm will not grow in a swamp, but that the 
ground should be moist and well-drained, and the rain- 
fall should be above 50 inches, Although the Oil 
Palm will grow in damp places and also on well-drained 
hillsides, statistics are not available to shew the effect 
on the yield of different situations. The amount of 
of the Oil. Palm. Outside West Africa, the Malay 
eR eninsula, Borneo and other tropical localities seem to 
- afford the proper conditions for the growth of the palm, 
