NIGERIA 163 



that year after year this amount can be cut down again, and as the 

 soil and other conditions improve and the rate of reproduction is 

 hastened by proper cultural methods in improving the soil, by draining 

 and other methods of amelioration, still larger results may be obtained. 



Secondly, the object of these Reserves is to produce firewood, 

 more especially in the neighbourhood of large towns ; in fact, already 

 in several cases, firewood plantations or Reserves have been made, 

 such as those at Ibadan and on the sandy flats near Lagos. In these 

 cases, trees five, seven or ten years old are large enough for that 

 purpose, more especially of the following species. Cassia Siamia, or 

 Albizzia Brownii. 



Thirdly, to provide grazing land, more especially in the more 

 northern part of Nigeria, where the object is to divide up the area, 

 so that so many cattle may graze on each area in different years, or 

 for different periods of the year, so as to give the pasture and small 

 trees which may be growing a chance to revive and grow again. By 

 this means the pasture is improved and made of permanent value. 

 It is also possible under this system to undertake permanent improve- 

 ments in these large pastures by a certain amount of drainage in the 

 lower parts, and fire protection in the upper and higher parts. In 

 this way the cattle obtain a better pasturage and reach maturity all 

 the quicker. In times of bad season, too, some of the closed areas 

 may be opened for pasturage, thus ensuring that the head of cattle 

 may not be allowed to go down owing to death due to drought or lack 

 of pasture. In this way the grazing reserve acts as a kind of insurance 

 against loss of stock in bad seasons of no rainfall. 



Fourthly, the production of oil seeds and nuts, such as the Oil 

 Bean, Pentaclethra macwphylla, or the African Wood Oil-nut, Ricinoden- 

 dron Africanus. It may also be the production of Cola nuts, which 

 thrive in the forests in the shade, or in the partial shade, of other 

 forest trees, and the Cacao Bean, which also, in certain localities, should 

 stand in the partial shade of forest trees, more especially in the dry 

 season. 



Fifthly, the production of fibres, such as that from the tree 

 known as Eso, Firmiana Barteri, the bark of which is used for making 

 rope. Then there are the various creepers, such as Kakoba, Entada 

 scandens, which is also used for making rope by the Hausa and Yoruba, 

 more especially fly-switches by the Benin natives. Then there are 

 the canes, such as Egbe, used for roofing amongst the Yorubas and 

 Okakan, Eremospatha sp. (large Benin rattan), and Ikan, Eremospatha 

 macrocarpa (small Benin rattan), also used for making rope, and a 

 kind of string which both the Benin and Jekii natives use for tying 

 lath pieces together in housebuilding and in making coverings for 

 their canoes. 



Sixthly, the production of domestic articles, such as sponges, 



