COTTON 11 



of methods for the refining of wild bees' wax for export 

 is published in the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, 

 vol. viii. (1910), pp. 23-31. 



PALM KERNELS. The West African oil palm, Elceis 

 guineensis, is found commonly in some parts, but the 

 heads produced are small and carry -small fruits, con- 

 taining little oil. This oil is used locally, and the kernels 

 from the nuts alone are shipped. The palm is chiefly 

 valued for the production of palm wine, which is tapped 

 from the base of the fruiting stems into funnelled 

 gourds, hung beneath the holes. The tree is appa- 

 rently never felled for the purpose, and, by limiting 

 the amount of wine extracted, it survives for a long 

 period. 



COTTON. The Mandingoes and Jolahs cultivate 

 cotton for making the yarn used in their native looms, 

 in which they weave the strips of cloth called " pagns." 

 These strips are afterwards sewn together along their 

 lateral edges and made into gowns. 



The native cotton plant varies somewhat in appear- 

 ance. In Kommbo, a long straggling form occurs, 

 which is retained for two seasons to produce cotton, 

 but in the Jolah country a small annual is most 

 frequently seen. The former is grown as a mixed crop 

 and the latter in separate patches. 



In quality, from the European spinner's point of 

 view, the Mandingo cotton lint compares favourably 

 with the commercial type called "middling American" 

 as far as length of staple is concerned, although it is not 

 so white, nor is there so much silkiness apparent. It 

 has been rightly remarked that the native variety, if 

 properly cultivated, would probably give a better result 

 than would be obtained from the introduction of American 

 seed. The Jolah cotton is short-stapled and woolly, 

 though whiter than the Mandingo. It would be more 

 difficult to improve this kind sufficiently to suit the 

 European demand. 



Egyptian cotton seed was tried in the Gambia about 

 twenty years ago, and the variety was at first considered 

 suitable ; the cultivation was, however, not proceeded 

 with, owing to local difficulties. 



The obstacles which hindered the development of 

 cotton-growing in the Gambia for export were the same 



