36 SIERRA LEONE 



being nearly white. The imported rices are usually white, 

 but are said to contain less nutriment than the local kinds. 

 Rice has always constituted the staple food of the 

 aboriginal tribes of the Protectorate, for which reason its 

 cultivation and the weather conditions necessary for its 

 successful production locally are matters of great import- 

 ance. No precaution is taken to plant any other crop as 

 a stand-by in the event of an unfavourable rice season. In 

 1910 a disaster actually occurred, for the rainy season 

 of 1909 set in so early that it prevented many farms 

 being burned in time to sow rice. Most of the local 

 varieties mature their grain from three to five months 

 after sowing, the earlier producing approximately 15, and 

 the later from 30 to 40 bushels, per acre. Owing to the 

 failure of the rice crop in 1910, the commodity should not 

 have been allowed to be exported in that year, but the 

 importance of this was lost sight of in view of the re- 

 munerative trade in it which had become established with 

 different coast ports to which it was shipped. In the 

 previous edition of this volume a recommendation was 

 made to foster the export of surplus Sierra Leone rice to 

 the Gold Coast, where it was much appreciated, and 

 doubtless this trade may yet become important when 

 existing restrictions are removed, and if it is found 

 possible to induce a larger number of the population in 

 the Protectorate to engage in pure agriculture, and grow 

 crops in excess of their immediate personal requirements. 

 The exports for the last nine years were as follows : 



Bushels Value 



1910 . . . 35,114 5,925 



1911 . . . 22,621 4,716 



1912 . . . 30,715 5,712 



1913 . . . 21,548 3,991 



1914 . . . 18,705 4,855 



1915 . . . 19,600 7,228 



1916 . . . 3,192 1,364 



1917 . . . 1,022 697 



1918 ... 176 93 



In 1915, owing to the falling off of imports, it was 

 found necessary to exercise control over the exports, but 

 in spite of this the amount exported was higher than in 

 the previous year. In 1916 the urgency of the matter 

 became even more pronounced and exports were restricted. 





