NIGERIA 185 



are provided by the Government. For the purpose of more rapidly 

 getting about, a bicycle, motor, or horse may be kept, and an allow- 

 ance is given for maintenance. The cost of living is high, even when 

 furnished quarters or a bungalow are provided. 



Lagos is the first port of call in Nigeria, and there is a railway 

 journey of 123 miles before reaching Ibadan, the temporary head- 

 quarters of the Forest Department. Olokomeji, 90 miles from Lagos, 

 is the old headquarters, and from here the forestry work of the 

 Southern Provinces is directed. Zaria, situated some 450 miles from 

 Lagos, is the headquarters of the Forestry Department in the Northern 

 Provinces. 



A newly appointed officer would be liable to be sent to either of 

 these last-named places ; but owing to the larger number of men 

 being stationed in the Southern Provinces, the majority are sent to 

 that centre. Olokomeji is in the middle of a Forest Reserve 

 26 square miles in extent, and is also the headquarters both of the 

 Western Circle and of its northern division. In each circle there is 

 a Conservator of Forests in charge, and he has an assistant to manage 

 each division. In the event of a shortage of staff it maj^ happen that 

 a new man is put in charge of a division and thus has an opportunity 

 of learning all about the work much more quijckly than would other- 

 wise be the case. In the ordinarj^ way he only corresponds with his 

 Conservator and the timber interests of his division on purely local 

 matters. 



Since 1901, a moderately large Arboretum has been planted at 

 Olokomeji, containing quite a number of indigenous trees growing 

 under natural conditions, according to the tj^pe of climate found in 

 that locality, and also some exotic trees which grow in similar climates 

 in Asia or South America. In a comparatively short time the new 

 Forest Officer can get a very fair idea of the most important timber 

 trees found locally, as well as elsewhere. In connection with the 

 work of renewing the labels on specimen trees, ocular demonstration 

 of all these trees is obtainable. The local Ranger can usually supply 

 the vernacular names, and here is a wide field for linguistic qualifi- 

 cations. Yoruba is the local language, Benin is spoken by a large 

 number of people in the Central Circle, and Hausa by nearly all 

 itinerant traders throughout the country. Ibo, another language, 

 is spoken by nearly 3,000,000 inhabitants, while many of the Cross 

 River people (Eastern Circle) speak Efik ; some, however, speak 

 New Calabar or Ibibio, while again, in a large part of the Niger Delta, 

 Brass or Ijor is spoken. Sooner or later the language of the locality 

 should be acquired, and in fact this is prescribed by Government 

 order as a necessary preliminary to the granting of the first increment. 



The routine office work includes simple book-keeping, analysis 

 of records, appointments of staff, the engagement of native labour 



