10 COLONIAL REPORTS MISCELLANEOUS. 



or Chen-chen (Antiaris toxicaria var. africana), the Prekese 

 (Tetrapleura Thonningii\ the Odouin (Chlorophora cxcclsa), 

 I he Ihihini (J\/KII/<I species), the Penkwa (Pseudocedrela cylin- 

 ilri<-ii), the Tiama-Tiaina (Pseudocedrela sp.), the N'yankom or 

 Yd ilk-mi (Ucritiera utilis), the Pepedum (Lovoa Klaineana), 

 the Kokati (Pynaertia ealaensis}, the Affrain or Off nun (Termin- 

 al KI sui>crh<i), Funtumia elaxtica, Funtumia africana, the Emil 

 or I'linril (Terminalia sp.), the KaJcu (Lophira procera), the 

 I Id k a (Mimusops Djaue), the Waw-waw (Triplo chiton John- 

 sonii), tln^ Athawah (Pentaclethra macrvpliyUa), the Meinch/n 

 (Peltophorum sp.), the Ehyedua (Cyanothyrsus species), the 

 (Ricinodeinl mil africanus), the Bay a or Yaya (Mitra- 

 macrophylla), Macrolobium stipulaceum, the Ote (Myris- 

 species), the Nyamedua (Alstonia congensis), Musanga 

 Smithii, Myrianthus arboreus, Haronga madagaacariensis, 

 Sterculia cordifolia, Cola Afzelii, Eriodendron anfractuosum, 

 and a host of others, some of which, for want of the flowers 

 and fruit, I have not yet been able to identify or get identified. 



The Aburi hills were once clothed with this type of vegeta- 

 tion, and the remnants of the old forest can still be seen in the 

 form of large isolated examples of Piptadenia africana, Triplo- 

 cliiton Jolinsonii, Antiaris toxicaria var. africana, Clilorophora 

 excelsa, Parkia biglobosa, various species of Ficus, Eriodendron 

 anfractuosum, Bombaa buonopozense, the Off rain (Terminalia 

 sp.), Kokoti (Pynaertia ealaensis), Baku (Mimusops Djave), &c., 

 which, on account of their size, were left as " standards " when 

 the natives cleared the forests for their farms. 



Under these '' standards," where the soil is unoccupied at 

 present by agricultural crops, a dense tangled mass of secon- 

 dary growth has sprung up consisting mainly of Musanga 

 Smithii, Myrianthus arboreus, Haronga madagascariensis, the 

 oil palm, various species of Combretum, Landolphia, Clitandra, 

 Gloriosa superba, Anthocleista magnifi,ca, &c., and a few sup- 

 pressed seedlings of the Waw-waw (Triplo chiton Johnsonii), 

 the Emril, and the shingle 'tree (Terminalia scutiferd) ; clear- 

 ings in the secondary growth have been planted up with cocoa 

 and in places with cola ; extensive areas are also under cassava 

 and corn, and it is on these areas that denudation of the hill- 

 sides is proceeding most rapidly. 



The Aburi hill forests, situated as they are on the edge of 

 the arid plains to the north of Accra, are, of course, exposed 

 to all the dangers which attend such proximity to an extensive 

 centre of desiccation. 



The abandoned (fallow) cassava farms, especially those on 

 the steeper slopes, have been occupied by the coarser grasses. 

 As the latter are burnt every year, the soil becomes exposed 

 and is washed away during the rainy season and then denuda- 

 tion of the hillsides begins. It is already in full operation 

 on several of the minor ridges and the process is being continued 

 at a rapid pace. Once the soil becomes exposed it is no longer 

 capable of storing and regulating the supply of moisture for 

 the springs : the latter begin to dry up, as they have actually 



