310 



FORESTRY IN THE CROWN COLONIES. 



forest, but occasionally gigantic specimens of Chlorophora 

 excelsa, Eriodendron anfractuosum and Adansonia digitata 

 (baobab) are met with. Other trees are : Khaya sene- 

 galensis, Pseudicedrella Kotschyi, Tamarindus indica, 

 Parkia, Afzelia, Acacia, Anogeissus, Terminalia, Vitex, 

 Lophira alata, Borassus Mthiopica (the Fan Palm), and 

 Phoenix reclinata (the wild Date Palm). 

 (/) Thorn Forest exists in the dry northern part of the country, 

 consisting largely of Acacias, of which the gum-yielding 

 species are A. verek, seyal, arabica and Sieberiana. These 

 gum forests gradually give way to low, open, thorny 

 scrub in the vicinity of the desert. 



3. Area and Ownership of the Forests. 



The available information is as yet very deficient, and the 

 following data are mere estimates in square miles : — 



Agricultural Land 



Forest, Merchantable 

 Forest, Unprofitable 



Total Forest 

 Other Land . 



Grand Total 



50,400 

 168,000 



100,800 



218,400 

 16,500 



335,700 



Per cent, of 

 Total Area. 



30 



15 

 50 



65 

 5 



100 



The areas are continually undergoing reduction owing to the 

 shifting cultivation practised by the natives. Koughly speaking, 

 at the present time the forest area is divided as follows : — 



Mangrove jungle . 

 Tropical rain forest 

 Mixed deciduous forest 

 Savannah and Bush 

 Desert, scrub and water. 

 Cultivated and fallow land 



Total 



Per Cent. 



2 

 10 



8 

 45 



5 

 30 



100 



