GOLD COAST REPORT ON FORESTS, 81 



present. The ubiquitous Off ram, of course, is greatly in evidence, 

 and together with the Waw-waw forms the dominant species 

 Both these trees attain far greater dimensions in this forest than 

 I have seen anywhere else on the Gold Coast. Associated with 

 them and completing the peuplement of the arboreal growing 

 stock are the following species, which also attain an immense 

 height and are beautifully grown. They are the silk-cotton 

 tree (Eriodendron anfractuosum], the Esea (Combretum sp.), the 

 gum copal tree (Cyanothyrsus ogea), Antiaris toxicaria, Sterculia 

 cordi folia, Sterculia Barteri, Santiriopsis Klainei, a few Khayas, 

 some Kokoti and Baku, as well as Piptadenia africana, and an 

 allied species with a much larger fruit. These, together with 

 the Odoum and Off'ram, form nine-tenths of the tree vegetation. 



The undergrowth chiefly consists of evergreen shade-bearing 

 shrubs of species different from the trees forming the overwood ; 

 these shrubs are of remarkably straight growth, and are 

 characteristic of the very old woods. The secondary or younger 

 woods have a dense tangled undergrowth, consisting mainly of 

 climbers and scrambling shrubs, and can thus be easily dis- 

 tinguished from the former. 



Comparing this forest with similar old growth seen in Western 

 Ashanti, one is at once struck with the peculiarity that the over- 

 \vood in the forests just described is poor in variety of species 

 ,ind that the majority of the species that compose it are identical 

 with those usually left as " standards " by the natives when the 

 forests are cleared for farming purposes; hence the conviction is 

 forced on one that, close as the resemblance of this forest is to 

 the primeval type, it is really a secondary forest of very great 

 age that has sprung up on areas cleared centuries ago for agri- 

 cultural purposes. Waves of invasion and internecine warfare 

 probably depopulated the area and gave it the long period of 

 rest necessary to develop the old growth now occupying it. The 

 ownership of the area in question is, I believe, still disputed, and 

 it is hence likely to enjoy a further spell of immunity against the 

 farmer's axe. I also understand that it has been the policy of 

 the Ashanti and some other tribes to keep intact broad belts of 

 forest along their common tribal frontiers ; these belts act as 

 ' buffers" in the event of invasion, &c., and are also responsible 

 for some of the older forests to be met with in the country. 



Poor as the Anum forests are in useful timber-trees such as 

 the mahoganies and cedars, nevertheless I would recommend 

 their reservation, if merely for the sake of preserving one of 

 the finest series of old forests in the country. There is ample 

 forest-clad ground left in the vicinity to satisfy the wants of the 

 most energetic farmers, and reservation would prove no hardship, 

 especially as reservation in this particular locality would per- 

 force be restricted practically to the prohibition of farming on 

 the selected area, and would not interfere with the use of forest 

 produce for the domestic requirements of the inhabitants or with 

 hunting. 



Towards the north-eastern limit of the forest, close to the 

 village of Mirefuaso, which is one hour's journey from Odumase, 



12315 F 



