132 NIGERIA NORTHERN PROVINCES 



which formerly constituted the staple of Northern Nigeria, 

 continues to decrease in an unaccountable way, and is 

 now an almost negligible amount." Various reasons are 

 given to account for a partial or gradual decrease, the 

 most important of which is, that the people who used to 

 rely on the collection of sylvan produce for a livelihood, 

 have found a more lucrative employment in growing food- 

 stuffs for the troops and Government staff, or in working 

 upon the Government roads and railways. But, in spite 

 of this, the value of Shea nuts and butter exported in 

 1907-8 reached a high figure, and placed these products 

 second in order of value among those exported during 

 the year. The export of Shea nuts in the two years 

 following showed a further increase, being 3,922 and 9,085 

 tons for 1908 and 1909 respectively. There is a growing 

 demand for Shea butter in Europe, and the supply is at 

 present inadequate. 



PALM OIL AND KERNELS. The oil palm (Elceis 

 guineensis) is almost absent from a large part of the 

 country, and is rarely seen north of Zungeru, being chiefly 

 confined to the vicinity of the rivers and the forests on 

 the boundaries of Southern Nigeria. 



An insignificant amount of palm oil is exported, as the 

 local demand absorbs practically all that is produced, the 

 kernels remaining being alone exported. 



Only one variety is recognised in the country, and is 

 that with a thin pericarp and thick-shelled kernel. It is 

 similar to the form termed "Abe-pa " in the Gold Coast. 

 Among the Haussa-speaking races the palm is called 

 " Quaqua," and in the Nupe language " Yi-ku-niche." 



Extraction of the oil for local use is generally done by 

 boiling the fresh fruits, and a limpid product is obtained. 



GROUNDNUTS. The groundnut (Arachis hypogea), 

 called " Geda " by the Haussas, is seen in two forms 

 in Northern Nigeria, dependent, probably, on differ- 

 ences in soil and climate in the localities in which 

 they are grown. 



The form seen commonly in the vicinity of Bida, from 

 which most of the exported nuts are procured, has a 

 light-brown shell, and is similar to the ordinary Gambian 

 kind. The soil in which this is grown is red, and, to 

 some extent, this colour is imparted to the shell. The 

 nuts growing in the northern districts near Kano, where 



