182 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



hot. Conversely, when it is cold outside in the " harmattan " season 

 it is warmer in the forest. 



Nearer the interior of the forest certain better grasses and pasture 

 are found, which are of incalculable value, in a drought, to the 

 cattle jn that locality. 



During the long period of the rotation, usually at least 60 or 80 

 years, in most forests there are large accumulations of leaf mould or 

 litter, which on occasion can be used in reasonable quantities for 

 manuring neighbouring agriciiltural lands. This is of incalculable 

 benefit where the ground outside the forest is comparatively poor 

 and dry. 



It has been proved also that in these long forest rotations the 

 mineral rock and subsoil have time to weather, and add further mineral 

 matter to the enrichment of the soil. 



The forest, too, provides grateful shelter and sanctuary for game 

 animals and birds of all kinds, thus providing, especially in Africa, 

 the largest source of meat which the native has. 



When all these indirect advantages and good effects of the forest 

 are added together and a definite value put on them, and then con- 

 sidered in addition to all the timber and firewood the forest produces, 

 it will be seen how wonderfully and providentially beneficial the 

 forests really are, and also how absolutely essential they are in a 

 country like Africa. 



Just as efEective, and cheaper, except perhaps as regards time, 

 than the artificially made forest plantation, are the protected forests ; 

 even in the worst case, starting with a poor country growth and small 

 dry-zone shrubs and trees, after ten years there is a compact, close-growth, 

 medium-sized tree with straightened stem and less branching habit, 

 and the ground comparatively free from grass. During a further 

 period this forest can be thinned out by removing the poorer 

 shrubs and trees and allowing seedlings of more valuable species 

 to come up. They will often do this in the shade of poorer and more 

 hardy trees. Still later, as the soil-moisture conditions improve, the 

 humidity increases as well as the rainfall ; still other species come in 

 or can be introduced artificially. Eventually, by the end of the first 

 rotation there is probably quite a different forest to that in 

 existence at the time of the annual grass-fires, and one which is more 

 akin to the original forests before the advent of Man with his fire- 

 stick. 



Quite apart from any money which has been spent on direct forest 

 plantations, the indirect efifect of the protection afforded to the 

 trees in the various forest reserves is of almost incalculable value. 

 If the figure should be calculated out even at a low rate of only £1 

 per acre, then the total value is £768,000 for the Reserves already 

 made. Again, considering this result has only been attained after 



