chapter XIX . 



GROWING GOLD 



The precious product of the forest is conserved and the 

 feUing is controlled by issuing licenses conveying ex- 

 clusive rights to cut timber over specified areas. These 

 are granted to Africans of any nationality under the 

 conditions set forth in the Forestry Ordinance of Ni- 

 geria. Felling is controlled by a minimum girth limit, 

 and for each tree felled fees and royalty are paid into the 

 Forestry Department. A proportion of this goes to the 

 maintenance of the Forestry Service, while the royalty 

 is divided between the Oba Chief and the head men 

 responsible for the tribal land in which the trees are 

 felled. 



Included in the amount paid is a re-planting fee for 

 the purpose of re-forestation. Before planting fees were 

 introduced, concessionaires undertook to plant trees in 

 the place of those they removed from the forest. The 

 results were not very satisfactory, as seedlings were gen- 

 erally rooted up from the bush and planted along the 

 timber hauling tracks, or in scattered irregular planta- 

 tions around the labour camps. 



It was in 1925, with a view to solving the problem 

 of increasing the supplies of mahogany and other species 



182 



