70 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



proceeds in the Lagos Colony in the hands of the 

 Government, whose lead has been followed to some 

 extent by the natives. Such efforts, with appreciable 

 later commercial advantages, should be followed up 

 by the establishment of Botanic Stations, Model 

 Farms, or Nursery-gardens. 



The conditions of soil on the strips of land that lie 

 for hundreds of miles along West Africa between the 

 inland waters (lagoons) that run parallel to the coast- 

 line and the sea are so favourable to this growth that 

 there should be in time a large export trade in copra 

 and coir. It has much astonished me to find that a 

 large and important firm in West Africa, with extensive 

 crushing mills in Germany,- should have to establish 

 in Fiji for copra, knowing as I ' do that there is 

 annually available along West Africa ah "abundant 

 harvest sufficient for a considerable export. 



For the benefit of those whom it may concern, I 

 would remark that in the Gold Coast and Lagos 

 Colonies nuts should in quantity be procured at ^d. 

 each ; and, with an estimate that it would take, say, 

 4,000 to 6,000 nuts to yield a ton of oil of value in 

 the home market £26, we have a purchase outlay for 

 material of ;^6 5^. to £g 'js. 6d. against the home price. 

 The freight may be put down at 30J. to 40s. additional. 

 Thus for manufacture, other incidental expenses and 

 profit, there is left a margin of ^^15 tO;^i8 in round 

 numbers on each ton of oil. And here I take no 

 account of the value of the coir. 



