88 THE GOLD COAST 



the carriage by their own canoes of the salt and 

 stores required by the merchants who have commenced 

 business in Yeji and Tamale, the freight on these in the 

 journey upwards would probably be found to cover the 

 cost of bringing cotton down-stream, and the export trade 

 in it could be developed in this manner. The British 

 Cotton Growing Association made an effort to act upon 

 the suggestion made here, but discontinued their opera- 

 tions in July 1916, when they handed over tbjeir buildings, 

 at Tamale, to the Government, as it was shown that under 

 the existing conditions and with but one European repre- 

 sentative to further its interests, cotton- growing in the 

 Northern Territories could not hope to become a re- 

 munerative export business (Colonial Reports, Northern 

 Territories, G.C. 1916, No. 956). The irregularity of the 

 rainfall is a matter which must be borne in mind in any 

 future attempts to develop the industry here, tut the 

 possibilities of providing artificial irrigation should not be 

 overlooked, as large tracts of flat land exist near the 

 White Volta river capable of becoming fertile under proper 

 irrigation and drainage. 



Other Field Crops.-- Yams are grown as a primary 

 crop on mounds, and three different kinds are common, 

 probably referable to D. alata, D. sativa, and D. colo- 

 casicefolia, the last being what is termed the water yam 

 and the first the winged yam. Guinea corn is the most 

 important food grain grown, but millet is sometimes 

 planted. A red species of sorghum (8. guineensis, var. 

 robustum) is cultivated on a small scale for use in 

 staining leather, but is not used for food. Rice (Oryza 

 sativa) is grown in the vicinity of the large rivers, but is 

 said to suffer damage from elephants and hippopotami. 

 The variety seems to be similar to the red rice grown in the 

 Gambia and Sierra Leone. Very little maize is planted, 

 but some is grown near Salaga. Cassava is only seen 

 in the south near the forest boundary, and groundnuts 

 are not plentiful, owing, perhaps, to the fact that cooking 

 oil is obtainable from shea butter trees, which are common 

 in a wild state. Pigeon peas are often planted round the 

 borders of fields, and are left to yield more than one crop. 

 This pea is identical with one of the common " Dhalls " 

 of India (Cajanus indicus) ; the origin of the introduction 

 is obscure. Small beans are grown as well as Indigo f era. 



