60 PLANTING IN UGANDA 



has very little to recommend it. Certainly the 

 shaded road is pleasant in hot weather, but on the 

 other hand it is because of this shade that the 

 avenue tree is most to be objected to. The more 

 sun the road receives the better will be its condi- 

 tion; and since in the rainy season sunless days 

 are very frequent, and this is the season when the 

 road will be most used, it will be easily understood 

 that roadside trees are not an unmixed blessing. 

 Further, these trees hinder a free inspection of the 

 fields from the roads. 



Of course where Para is planted the trees shade 

 the road themselves, but here there is no help for 

 it. Moreover, the roads through Para will not be 

 used by carts to any large extent. The objections 

 apply chiefly to Coffee fields, where, during the 

 crop, the road traffic will be very great. 



The metalling of main roads is a matter that 

 should not be lost sight of. This work can, how- 

 ever, be done at any time. 



Drains. Drainage is not, as a rule, a very 

 serious problem in Uganda. The soil is naturally 

 open, and drains are rarely required for the pur- 

 pose of sweetening it. They are needed only to 

 carry away the excess water of heavy rains, and to 



