616 Canadian Forestry Journal, July, ipid. 



Odd Conditions in Nigeria 



Close Supervision of Cutting in these Tropical Forests 

 With View to a Continuous Production 



By A. H. Unzvin, 

 Member of the Canadian Forestry Association 



European forest officers are of history of a tree from a seedling- in 



two ranks, the scientifically trained the nursery bed to the well-grown 



conservators of forests and the financially mature tree, marked 



executively trained foresters. ready for the axe, a period of about 



' The scope of this paper wall only eighty years, 



cover the former, as very few of the The initial appointment is for 



latter are European, and most of three years on probation, after which 



them Nigerians. ^^ may be confirmed. The initial 



From Oxford, Cambridge and salary of an assistant conservator of 

 Edinburgh, graduates in forestry forests is £300 per annum, rising 

 can usually be procured. The train- by increments of £15 to £400 per 

 ing at these centres covers, roughly, annum. The first appointment 

 a year or a vear and a half's work dates from the day of sailing, the 

 on the elementarv subjects, such as passage being paid by the Nigerian 

 botany, mathematics, geology, men- Government, and salary on half-pay 

 suration, surveying, and political begins from the date of departure 

 economy. In addition, a year or two until the arrival in Nigeria, when 

 years' work on the professional sub- full salary begins to accrue. In- 

 jects, silviculture or the growing of tending candidates should bear in 

 forests, forest protection, forest mind that an early selection for ap- 

 utilisation, forest botany, forest pointment entitles them to seniority 

 entomology, forest history, and over other candidates who, owing to 

 forest policy, is required. At the their being fully qualified, are ap- 

 end of the course six months' prac- pointed immediately, and thus reach 

 tical work in Scottish or English the colony before them. Locally, a 

 forests follows, during which period commuted travelling allowance of 

 working plans and market condi- £42 per annum is drawn to com- 

 tions are especially studied. pensate for the extra cost entailed 

 _ . . in inspecting the forests. A limited 

 1 he 1 raining Course. number of carriers, or other means 



After being accepted for appoint- of transport, are provided by the 

 ment in Nigeria, a further three government. For the purpose of 

 months' course is taken at the Royal more rapidly getting about, a bi- 

 Gardens, Kew ; and six months' cycle, motor, or horse may be kept, 

 practical work on the - Continent and an allowance is given for main- 

 was (before the war) usually re- tenance. The cost of living is high, 

 quired. At Kew the object is to ac- even when furnished quarters or a 

 quire a working knowledge of the bungalow are provided, 

 most important botanical orders ^ , • tt j 

 which contain the African trees. Reaching Headquarters. 

 The Continental course shows the Lagos is the first port of call in 

 student forests which have been Nigeria, and there is a railway jour- 

 under a definite scheme of manage- ney of 123 miles before reaching 

 ment for over a hundred years. It Ibadan, the temporary headquarters 

 takes one, in fact, through the life of the Forest Department. Oloke- 



