RUBBER IN BRITISH AFRICA 13 



mained approximately the same, viz. about 3,000 tons, 

 which was a Uttle less than 5 per cent, of the world's 

 supply. The heavy decline to only 1,387 tons in 1908 

 was attributed mainly to the serious fall in the value of 

 rubber, which checked the collection by the natives, and 

 during the next two years the recovery in the price 

 led to a considerable increase in the exports. The figures 

 for 1910, when rubber realised the highest price it has 

 ever reached, were, however, not equal to those of the 

 years 1905 to 1907. During 1911 the price of rubber be- 

 came normal again, and the total exports diminished to 

 a little less than 2,200 tons, or about 2^ per cent, of the 

 world's supply. 



Considerable attention has been devoted to rubber 

 during recent years by the Agricultural and Forestry 

 Departments in British West Africa, with the objects 

 (1) of preserving, as far as possible, the existing wild 

 plants ; (2) of improving the quality of the rubber by 

 the introduction of new methods of preparation ; and 

 (3) of forming expermiental plantations of indigenous 

 or exotic rubber trees, and encouraging rubber cultivation 

 by Eiu-opcan planters and by the natives. It has been 

 sought to attain the first two objects by instructing the 

 natives in proper methods of tapping the plants and 

 of preparing the rubber, and, in certain cases, by the 

 introduction of regulations for controllmg the industry. 



The efforts which have been made to start the cultiva- 

 tion of rubber trees in British West Africa have been very 

 successful, and large plantations have been already formed 

 in the Gold Coast and Southern Nigeria. The trees which 

 have been principally tried are the indigenous Funtumia 

 elastica and the Para tree, Hevea hrasiliensis. It has 

 been proved that both of these trees can be successfully 

 cultivated on a large scale in West Africa, but the general 

 consensus of opinion is at present in favour of the Para 

 tree wherever the conditions are suitable for its gi"owth, 

 as this tree promises to give a much larger annual yield 

 of rubber than the Funtumia. The latter tree can, 

 however, be grown in semi-dry districts where the Para 

 tree will not thrive. 



The following account gives a brief summary of the 

 position of the rubber industry in each of the West 

 African Colonies and Protectorates (see also The Agri- 



