174 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



tree soon compensates for this disadvantage. In three or four 

 years it may be from 18 to 24 feet high and 8 to 16 inches in girth. 

 Both the largest individual specimens as well as plantations are found 

 in the Olokemeji forest as well. 



More in place in the firewood plantations near Lagos and Ibadan 

 is the Casuarina {Casuarina equisetifolia). At Olokemeji this tree 

 has only done comparatively well. Also an exotic, it is most useful 

 for planting near the sea-side on sandy soil, and in places with a smaller 

 rainfall. It will also stand a comparatively dry atmosphere. The 

 wood of this tree is very hard, almost like Ironwood. It is sometimes 

 known as the Australian Beef Tree. Its numerous small branches on 

 the stem make the wood rather knotty and of less value for general 

 construction work. However, its heating power as a firewood is very 

 great. Amongst all the forest trees it is one which yields the 

 greatest amount of acetic acid, which forms the basis of an 

 explosive. 



Another Australian tree which has been used to a lesser extent for 

 Afforestation purposes is the Blue Gum of various kinds. Eucalyptus 

 citriodora and E. amygdalina have proved to grow the quickest of 

 any planted in Nigeria. Many others have been tried, but most have 

 not survived. Specimen trees and small groups are seen as far apart 

 as Onitsha, on the banks of the Niger, Ikassa, near the mouth of the 

 Nun branch of the Niger, the Botanical Gardens, Calabar, the Oloke- 

 meji Arboretum and Forest Plantations, not to forget the streets of 

 Lagos. In a similar way Casuarinas are seen near Government 

 House at Calabar and in Lagos, besides the forest Arboretums 

 and plantations. 



Another exotic from India, Lagostrsemia {Lagostrcemia flos 

 Regince), has grown well both on the banks of the Ogun and on poor 

 laterite soil of the Olokemeji Forest Reserve. For the sake of the 

 flowers alone it is worth planting to ornament a garden or the edge of 

 a plantation. The masses of mauve flowers last a considerable time and 

 blend most beautifully with the foliage and any green grass near by. 

 Although of branching habit when planted 10 feet apart, if planted 

 closer it will grow straighter and with cleaner bole. The timber is 

 hard and very durable. So far this tree has proved a valuable intro- 

 duction, especially for planting poor soils and river banks liable to 

 inundation. 



A later, though an exceedingl}' good introduction is that of 

 the Satinwood [Swietenia chloroxylon) , which gives promise in the 

 Olokemeji Forest Reserve of making a valuable addition to the 

 number of timber trees of indigenous and exotic origin. This tree 

 yields the Ceylon satinwood, which is usually worth at least £12 per 

 ton. The almost silvery-white tufted formation of the leaves is re- 

 miniscent almost of the Eucalyptus, though the leaf is rather smoother 



