38 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



purpose. The ground is first__well raked, and the nuts 

 scattered broadcast over it and lightly covered with 

 earth, or a number of nuts ranging from six to ten 

 are deposited in one spot at various distances and 

 covered with earth. The planting must be during 

 the rainy season, as it requires a good quantity of 

 water. When the young shoots have grown to about 

 a foot in height they are carefully removed in the 

 evening, and transplanted a distance of at least fifteen 

 feet from one another, and if planted during one 

 season, it is better to allow them to remain until the 

 next before they are transplanted. 



" The African oil palm grows luxuriantly and bears 

 more abundantly' at the height of from ten to twelve 

 feet in a damp, semi-marshy soil, where water does 

 not, however, stand. In arid, dry soil it becomes 

 stumpy and grows very slowly, and sometimes bears 

 at four feet ; but to cultivate the plant so as to ensure a 

 proper growth, a development of a good number of 

 nut branches, large in size, with nuts well supplied 

 with flesh, or what is technically called ' fat nuts,' 

 the trees must be at a distance of at least twenty feet 

 from one another and well supplied with water. 



" The supply of nuts fit for use is biennial, but the 

 most abundant supply of commercial oil is obtained 

 from nuts gathered during the rainy season." 



Commercial Palm Oil Manufacture. — {a) 

 " The nut bunches are cut down from the trees and put 



