GOLD COA8T. REPORT ON FORESTS. 13 



precosa, which is said to yield rubber at a very early age. The 

 individuals that have been planted are however much too small 

 at present to stand tapping ; hence the statement cannot yet be 

 verified. Hevea brasiliensis does not appear to do very well up 

 here, probably on account of the deficient rainfall ; the yield 

 of latex from all the trees originally tapped in 1903, when they 

 gave an average of half a pound of rubber per tree, has no\v 

 fallen off considerably, and in some cases ceased altogether. 

 This again is possibly due to the light rainfall. So far as I am 

 aware no other fairly large trees of this species have been tapped 

 annually in West Africa with a view to ascertaining whether the 

 output of the rubber falls with advancing age or not, but in any 

 comprehensive scheme for planting up large areas in West 

 Africa with this species, the possibility of a reduced yield should 

 not be overlooked. The Para rubber plantations seen by me at 

 Tarkwa and Kumasi, where the rainfall is very much heavier, 

 show excellent growth and promise to give just as good results as 

 those obtained in the East. However, time alone can decide this 

 question definitely. 



Both as regards rate of growth and yield of rubber this species 

 is decidedly superior to the indigenous Funtwnia elastica; it is 

 also apparently a more hardy type as far as experience on the 

 Coast goes ; but there is still the uncertainty as to a sustained 

 annual yield of latex. Three other exotic species of rubber 

 trees have been introduced into the West Coast of Africa, but 

 they have up to now proved failures so far as yield of rubber 

 is concerned. They are Ficus elastica, Manihot Glaziovii, and 

 Castilloa elastica ; but the last has failed more on account of 

 damage by insects than from any other cause, and further 

 experiments should be tried. 



Funtumia elastica. This species is doing well at Aburi, 

 especially on the slopes facing the south-west, where the growth 

 of five years is very good and is nearly equal to that of the Para 

 trees of corresponding age planted in other parts of the garden. 

 The former species was planted along strips cleared in secondary 

 forest growth ; the intervening uncut bush was then in its turn 

 gradually removed in strips and similarly planted up with 

 Funtumia elastica. This process was continued till the whole 

 area had been gone over in this manner. 



A few specimens of Funtumia latifolia are to be seen in the 

 gardens. They are said to yield a very poor quality rubber. 



Landolphia owariensis. This species has been planted at the 

 foot of the trees forming the avenue leading up from the Aburi 

 Post Office to the Curator's house. The vines appear to be 

 healthy enough, but the growth is slow, especially in diameter. 

 The young leaves are at first of a deep reddisli brown colour. 



Fibre plants. These are well represented and several plots of 

 land in one portion of the gardens have been put aside for their 

 cultivation. All the more important species are to be seen 

 growing there. 



TIMBER TREES. 



Several exotic species have been planted out, and a few of 

 them show good growth. Of these the most important is: 



