NIGERIA 177 



the side of roads. Its rather formal habit, with the almost even whorls 

 of branches, fits in with the straightness and even width of a road. 

 By many it is not realized that the nuts can be comparatively easily 

 cracked and the kernel inside is good to eat. 



Michelia champaca is another most suitable tree for avenues. 

 The chestnut-like leaf and the large, almost magnolia-like flowers 

 are of a white colour, giving it a " distinguished " appearance such 

 as is necessary for a roadside tree. The flowers, too, are used for 

 making scent. 



Both as a shade tree and for its gum the Balsam of Peru (Toluifera 

 PereircB) is also worthy of a place both in avenues and in plantations. 

 Some seedlings were obtained from the Botanical Gardens at Pretoria, 

 where the tree has grown comparatively well. Not so suitable for 

 plantations apparently at Olokemeji is the Sugar Palm (Arenga 

 saccharifera). However, in isolated places small plantations have 

 been made with the Sago Palm (Corypha data), such as in the swamp 

 opposite Calabar and the small grove of the Betel Nut Palm (Areca 

 catechu) near Lagos. Both these give promise of being useful acquisi- 

 tions to the palms of economic use in Africa. 



Before leaving the exotic trees, mention must be made of the Thuya 

 (Thuya occidentalis), which were obtained from the Canary Islands by 

 Major Cockburn and planted on the hill at Obubra. Although some- 

 what slow growing, they have thrived in that climate and do not suffer 

 from disease. This is the only example of a Conifer which has been 

 successfully introduced into Nigeria. 



Amongst the other indigenous trees of which plantations have been 

 made there is the Cedar Mahogany (Pseudocedrela Kotschyi), Emi 

 gbegiri, Yoruba, which apparent!}^ grows but slowly in Olokemeji. 

 It is much the same with the self-sown seedlings and with root suckers, 

 both of which have proved disappointingly slow in that locality. 



Then also at Olokemeji we have the drj^-zone Mahogany, Khaya 

 Senegalensis, Oganwo of the Yorubas and Ogwangu of the Benis, 

 growing in a small plantation and raised from seed brought by H. N. 

 Thompson, Esq., from the Shaki district in 1910. So far the growth 

 has been comparatively rapid, though the tree is occasionally attacked 

 by the leading-shoot borer, which makes it fork comparatively 

 low down. 



Of the African Walnut and the Long-capsuled Mahogany, Lovoa 

 Klaineana and Entandrop)hragma Condollei, most isolated specimens and 

 groups appear to have been planted in the leased areas of Benin. 

 In addition to these, some other specimens and small plantations are 

 found in the Calabar, Degama, Benin and Olokemeji Arboretums, as 

 well as in the plantations of the Ogba and Olokemeji. Thus far only 

 the Long-capsuled Mahogany has been planted in these ; the difficulty 

 of obtaining seed of the African Walnut has precluded its wider distribu- 



12 



