FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 55 



qualities are used in the manufacture of soap and for 

 lighting. The nut is also used in confectionery. 



From the West Coast of Africa (Niger and places 

 to windward of Sierra Leone being somewhat excep- 

 tions) this nut is exported in the shell : from the 

 South-West Coast, shelled or decorticated. 



From the countries to windward of Sierra Leone 

 — inclusive of and chiefly from Senegal and Gambia — 

 there is exported the bulk of this commodity. 



I am advised that in Cajor of Senegambia is 

 generally grown the finest nut : next come Rufisque, 

 Saloum and upper Gambia : from the lower Gambia, 

 Casamance, Boulama, Rio Nunez and the interjacent 

 rivers as far as Sierra Leone, go inferior nuts. 



Kernels that have properly matured, large and 

 heavy, clean and fresh, are of most value to the 

 crushers, and therefore command the higher price. 



The extended culture of ground-nuts, not only in 

 India and North America, but also in South America, 

 East and South Africa, and Spain, has affected 

 sensibly this West African staple product; as also 

 have rash and short-sightedly premature gatherings 

 of crop, variability of seasons, and intertribal wars. 



In verbal illustration of the foregoing, I would 



mention, as I have been informed by Monsieur Bohn, 



that in the year 1876 the port of Marseilles received : 



From W. C. Africa about 40,000 tons (in shell). 



„ S. America, Spain, India 700 „ ,, 



,, Mozambique and Congo 3>32S „ (sbelled). 



,, India 11,000 ,, „ 



