56 COLONIAL REPORTS MISCELLANEOUS. 



The old coupes are being gradually covered by young tree 

 growth, but the process is slow owing to the rank crops of the 

 " Umbrella tree ' (Musanga Smithii) that quickly occupy the 

 cleared areas and keep back the growth of more valuable species. 

 The Company contemplate getting out an expert to manage the 

 forests of the estate leased to them, and they propose starting 

 plantations of rubber, cocoa, &c., as well as exploiting the more 

 valuable timbers ; for the latter purpose the excellently well-laid- 

 out system of light railways of 24-in. gauge, with the highly 

 efficient little locomotives that are in use on them, will prove 

 invaluable. The general manager of the mines, Mr. McTear, 

 very kindly took us round the workshops, saw-mills, &c., and also 

 to the place where the fellings are being carried out this year. 

 The whole organisation of the mining work appears to be very 

 efficient, complete, and self-contained. 



Between the concession and the Adra River the country is well 

 farmed, but broad belts of forest intervene, and are rich in both 

 mahogany (a new species of Khayd) and cedars. One magnificent 

 example of that fine timber-tree, the Odoum (Chlorophora 

 excelsa), was seen. The hills round Oboase are clothed with high 

 forest containing two species of Piptadenia, Kliayas, cedars, the 

 Off ram, and Sterculia cordi folia, as well as the gum copal tree 

 (Cyanothyrsus ogea); the Odoum is also common. We next 

 sxamined the forest situated in the fork formed by the junction 

 of the Adra River and the Offin River, as far northwards as the 

 town of Mansu Nkwanta. As it is proposed to take up a suitable 

 area in this locality for a reserve, the forests were examined in 

 some detail. 



The land close to the junction of the two streams is low-lying 

 and subject to inundations during the flood season ; even during 

 the dry weather it is marshy and overgrown with canes (species 

 of Calamus and Ancistrophyllum) and the touibo or bamboo 

 palm (Raphia vinifera). Similar wet depressions are found in 

 the vicinity of the junctions of the smaller feeders with these two 

 main streams. 



Proceeding northwards from the confluence, the ground gradu- 

 ally becomes broken and hilly, till within a few hours' journey of 

 Nkwanta the ridges culminate in peaks 1,000 to 1,200 feet in 

 height. 



The ve.getation, except that occupying the marshes, is of the 

 irregular, high forest type, mostly evergreen, but with a fair 

 sprinkling of deciduous-leafed trees. In the alluvial depressions 

 that are not under water during the dry season a few mahoganies 

 (new species of Khaya), cedars (Pseudocedrela cylindrica, and 

 another species, the Tiama-Tiama), a large-leafed Kixliia (Sarco- 

 rcf)lialus sp.); Odoums, Offrams, Dahomahs, &c., are to be met 

 with, as well as the common silk-cotton tree, Eriodendron anfrac- 

 f iioxu w, Alstonia congensis, and rubber vines such as Landolphia 

 nirtin'i'itxix and Carpodinus liii-xi/fa. The undergrowth is very 

 dense and tangled, consisting to a large extent of climbing and 

 scrambling plants. 



