38 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



The fruit usually ripens in January, February, March, or sometimes 

 earlier, and is left for six months. Usually the trees have to some 

 extent been cleared by the natives, then on a certain day the bunches 

 of fruit may be cut. This takes place after the natives have cut the 

 bush down for making the chief's farm. It also ensures, incidentally, 

 that most of the fruit is quite ripe, though this is not the reason why 

 the natives may not begin cutting off the bunches when they like. 

 The bunches of fruit are left in the forest at convenient places at 

 the edge of the path, covered with palm leaves. After a week or so 

 these are taken to the village, and all the drupes cut ofE with a machete. 

 These are next put in large earthenware pots with a little water, 

 which are then placed over a good fire. In about an hour the fruit 

 is thoroughly steamed. The fruit is then piled into a trough of beaten 

 clay with a palm-nut bottom, or even stones. Water is poured in, 

 and the fruit is pounded with the feet and also with a small pestle. 

 The oil gradually rises in yellow fatty masses on the surface of the 

 water, and is collected with the hand and put into a clean pot. 

 As soon as a pot is filled, it is placed over a good fire to boil. When 

 it has been boiled thoroughly it is strained, the strained oil being 

 that usually eaten or sold to firms for export. The residue of dirt 

 and pieces of fibre is used as an illuminant in the native lamps. The 

 nuts are placed in the sun to dry for two or three months, after which 

 they are cracked with a stone or a piece of iron and the kernels 

 collected in boxes or bags for sale. The fibre in the washing trough 

 is thoroughly squeezed by hand and all oil extracted. The water is 

 let out of the trough gradually, and all oil collected from the sides 

 of it. It is also washed down with water to collect the more adhesive 

 particles. Even so, there is a large percentage of waste. An oil is 

 also made from the kernels by heating them in an iron vessel over 

 a fire. This oil is used for the skin or for wounds. 



In the ordinary way oil palms are not planted, though in moving 

 to a new area where farms have not been made before the natives 

 take oil-palm fruit with them, which get scattered as nuts ; these 

 germinate and form the nucleus of a group of oil palms in that locality. 

 Considering the large population and its increasing need for the oil, 

 the planting of oil palms appears to be remunerative. 



Palm Wine-tree {Raphia vinifera) is used very largely where it is 

 found in the extensive forests near the rivers and sea coast in swampy 

 places. Piassava fibre is obtained from this source, but so far has 

 not been used in Sierra Leone for this purpose, whereas in the neigh- 

 bouring country some of the best piassava is obtained. The people 

 are, however, otherwise occupied, so that until there is a greater 

 population it is unlikely that this industry will be taken up. The 

 approximate area of wine palms is 3,000 square miles in various parts 

 of the whole country. Some of the best areas are found on the banks 



