THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 239 



smoked and dried, much of it goes bad. This method of 

 getting fish is also used b}' individual natives in stagnant 

 backwaters of rivers and in isolated pools. The poison 

 apparently does not spoil the taste or other quality of the 

 fish. Occasionalh' this palm is also used for getting out the 

 Piassava fibre, but it appears to be more difficult, and it is 

 doubtful if it is as valuable as the fibre obtained from R. 

 Hcokeriana. Owing, however, to the fact that both species 

 grow in the same locality and often quite mixed together, it 

 is highly probable that part of the Piassava obtained is 

 taken from this palm. In order to stimulate the flow of 

 sap, a fire is often made at the base of the tree, which 

 burns all the lower leaves and even part of the top, and 

 thus induces an extra flow of saj^, but of course to the 

 detriment of a continual yield, as the tree subsequently dies. 



In many parts of the country there is a regular local 

 industry in the making of roofing mats from the leaves of this 

 palm. The small ones, about 3 feet long, are, however, sold 25 

 for 3d. and the big ones, over 6 feet long, 25 for 6d. In some 

 places they are cheaper. As a roofing material they are very 

 durable, and will last at least seven years. If, however, they 

 are put on very thickly, overlapping more than two-thirds 

 of their width, and the roof is thoroughly smoked from 

 the inside, it becomes nearly black, and will last fifteen 

 years. For native houses it is one of the most used roofing 

 materials, except in the Benin country, where the large Ewayon 

 leaves are used. Roofing mats are, of course, being superseded 

 by galvanized iron in the more civilized places. The leaf stalk 

 is used both as a pole for pushing lighters or heavily laden 

 canoes through comparatively shallow water, or as a boat-hook, 

 or pushing and guiding pole for the smaller canoes in getting 

 up swift, winding and comparatively narrow rivers. 

 Raphia Ruffia. Roofing Palm. 



Chief Characteristics. — It does not form a proper stem, like 

 other raphias ; the long, thin leaves sprout out from the ground, 

 and only when the tree is some years old is there any trace of 

 a stem, which is quite short. The petioles are thin, compared 

 to the length, and the leaflets are thin and narrow. 



Distribution. — It is found in the Calabar and Ogoja Provinces 

 of Nigeria. It is often planted near watercourses in damp 

 valleys to provide roofing material for the natives, who make 

 mats from the leaves (Ikom, Obubra districts). 

 Phoenix reclinata. Swamp Date Palm. Elekikobi (Yoruba) ; 

 Ukukon (Benin). 



A common tree of the Warri province of Nigeria. It is 



