Liberia ^- 



besides other trees mentioned in tlie Botanical Appendix — -is 

 present in the forests ; there are many undescribed nuts and seeds 

 yielding fine oils ; the bark of the mangrove and of certain acacias 

 is valuable for tanning. Besides articles of export there are local 

 wants to be supplied. Liberia ought — so far as climate and 

 soil are concerned — to grow all the Rice her indigenous and 

 American population requires, and yet become a rice-exporting 

 country — instead of which she imports rice by the hundred- 

 thousand-pounds' worth. Her coasts are well provided with 

 fish. She should set up her own fish-curing establishments on 

 the seashore and send dried fish to the people of the interior 

 instead of importing it from Norway. 



The fruit produced in the coast regions consists of coconuts, 

 pineapples, oranges, limes, mangoes, papaws. Avocado pears, 

 " sour sop," bananas, and plantains. 



Cattle thrive well in Liberia : they ought to be bred and 

 fattened for the West African market, likewise sheep, goats, 

 fowls, and ducks. Geese will not breed in this climate, and 

 turkeys find it too wet. 



The mineral wealth of Liberia is still an unknown 

 quantity ; it will be discussed in another chapter. 



To quicken the stagnant commerce of this land several 

 things are necessary : imprimis, a far greater devotion to agricul- 

 ture on the part of the Negro population : practical, tropical 

 agriculture should be taught at all the colleges and schools ; 

 secundo, more coin, instead of paper money, should circulate ; 

 tertio^ roads must be made into the interior and European traders 

 be allowed to settle at convenient points along those roads. 



Present means of transport are most defective and primitive. 

 In the coast districts there are short stretches of roads made 

 by the Liberian Government, with a few wooden bridges. On 

 these, rudely made ox-carts ply between the plantations and 



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