249 



declared a forest reserve, and our main efforts have been directed 



-.-. i* i_.1__ j • i t • m mm *.«-. _ ^ 



propagation m o ._ 



especially Funtumia elastica. 



" Ar the beginning of 1906, large nurseries of Funtumia were 

 formed, and later on over 100 acres of the Lokoja reserve— which 

 is about 250 acres in extent— were planted up, and the remainder 

 will be done tins year. 



" In addition to this, 40 acres of forest were planted up on the 

 Gurane River, where we have a reserve of over 400 square miles, 

 and a further 40 acres at Dakini in the Basse Province. 



" The idea we are working on is to get the natives to plant up 

 the forest surrounding their towns and villages with Funtumia. 



" Para rubber is also bei \\g grown experimentally in the Lokoja 

 reserve, and 1 have no doubt will be a success in the southern 

 parts of the Protectorate. The different Landolphias have also 

 been planted in the reserve with a view of experimenting with 

 them as to what extent the roots can be tapped without injuring 

 the plants and to discover improved methods of tapping the vines 

 and coagulating the latex. 



"At present the country is being rapidly denuded of Landolphias 

 owing to the destructive methods of collecting the root rubber the 

 whole of the roots being dug up and pounded. ' 



" There are no planting operations of a private nature in Northern 

 Nigeria, if one excepts the work of the British Cotton-growin^ 

 Association Model Farm near Lokoja. & 



"There is no doubt that the cultivation of Para rubber and 

 tvrthmiia could be successfully undertaken in the southern parts 

 ot the Protectorate, but the question of European supervision is 

 a somewhat serious one, and unless the thing was taken up on a 

 large scale it would not pay. European supervision means large 

 pay payment leave, and passages home and out; and to ensure 

 continuity in the work, the European staff would have to be 

 double what it is in other places. 



"Our forest reserve on the Gurane River is full of splendid 

 ^lahogany— Khaya sentgalensis—and Ebony— Diospi/ros mespili- 

 jormts .'—as well as many other valuable timber trees. By the 

 new forestry Proclamation the cutting of these trees is forbidden 

 excepting under the supervision of the Forestry Department, and 

 it is hoped that a stop will be put to the cutting of young trees for 

 fare wood. 



Nigeria in cotton. Every village grows its own cotton, and in 

 many cases manufactures its own cloth, and 1 think every effort 

 should be made to select the best variety of native cotton and 

 distribute the seeds throughout the country. During 190G the 

 Lritish Cotton-growing Association got as much cotton as they 

 could deal with iu their ginnery at Lokoja, and they are making 

 arrangements to deal with a much larger quantity this season. 



very good quality. 



'• 



gelv grow 



