i 



25 



trade 



African species is that 



of the fibre extracted from the petioles or leaf stalks, known 

 iis '' Lagos Bass," *' African Bass " or '' Piassava." Beginning 

 in 1891 at Lagos the trade has been of steady value and 

 the amount shipped from Nigeria in 1910 was 319 tons, 

 value £3,916, of which 297 tons were shipped from Calabar and 

 Ikang — 6 tons of the whole went to Germany, remainder to the 

 United Kingdom (Lagos Customs & Trade Journ. July 17th, 

 1911, p. 139). Li 1913 efforts were being made to improve the 

 output of Piassava fibre and the introduction of a suitable 

 machine, it was expected, would make it more successful (Ann. 

 Eep. For, Adm. S. Nigeria, 1913). Valued (Jan, 1913) for 

 ''good/' £24-27, ''medium," £23 and "common" £18 per ton, 

 with *' Para Piassava " {Leopoldinia Piassaba, Wallace) at 

 £44-54, £34-38 and £28-32 for corresponding quahties (Mon. 

 Circ. Ide &, Christie); in January 1920 the quotations were for 

 *'good" £48-52, *' medium " £40-46 and "common," £30-35, 

 with "Para Piassava" at £60-65, all per ton (I.e.). Full 

 particulars of this fibre from Lagos are given in Kew Bull. 1891, 

 pp. 1-5, and from Liberia, 1910, pp. 1G9-171, including prepara- 

 tion and trade particulars. There are trade samples of " Piassava " 

 from Cape Palmas, Akassa and Gaboon in the Museum at Kew 

 (Messrs. J. Puddy & Co. London, 1900). 



The method of preparation for export is simple ; the strong 

 bases of the leaves are cut up into the desired length, placed in 

 water — preferably running — where they are left until the softer 

 parts have decayed; they are then beaten until the fibre is free 

 of all extraneous matter and cleaned by being drawn through 



6-7 



nails closely driven into a board rack. After being sun-dried 

 the fibre is ready for market (U.S, Cons. Rep. Washington, 

 No. 352, 1910, p. 213; Kew Bull. 1910, p. 170). The method 

 of extraction is similar — steeping and beating out in Sierra 

 Leone (Dudgeon, Agric. & For. Prod. B. W. Afr. p. 31). 



Tliis palm has only a comparatively low trunk, but the leaves 



In the Eastern district of 

 Lagos it is reported (Millen, Kew Bull. 1893, p. 184) that the 

 banks of the Lagoon and the creeks which run into it have 

 scarcely any other vegetation than the Bamboo Palm with 

 stretches of mangroves. The '' Bamboo " Palm is referred to as 

 the commonest tree in the swamps and low-lands which fine 

 the waterways of the Colony of Lagos. Dense thickets of these 

 palms, traversed only by the palm-wine gatherer or the bamboo 

 cutter, push their way into the lagoons and extend over the 

 flood-grounds to a distance of from 15-20 miles up the river 

 valleys into the interior (Moloney, I.e. 1891, p. 3). On the Gold 

 Coast, the Sibiri stream, an important feeder of the Ankobra 

 is subjected to ver^^ heavy floods in the rainy season and over- 

 flows its banks to a large extent; when the water falls at the 

 end of the wet season the overflow remains in the hollows and 

 gives rise to a succession of swamps that are occupied by a dense 

 growth of the '' Tombo " Palm {Raphia vinifera), Calamxis and 



