FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 73 



Indian corn boiled). It was the opinion that penal 

 legislation that existed was and is sufficient to reach 

 offenders and offences of the kind complained against. 



Notwithstanding, at Lagos in 1879, the mercantile 

 agents aimed at being empowered by further legis- 

 lation to proceed against persons found in the act 

 of adulteration, or in mere possession of adulterated 

 kernels, without the necessity of having to wait, as 

 the law stood and required, and I think stands, for 

 the completion of a fraud by such possessors. 



One can understand the irritation caused by the 

 soaking of palm kernels, almost under the eyes of the 

 intended purchasers, and by the prospective loss of 

 1 5 per cent, in consequence ; but the keen and short- 

 sighted competition, and the reckless and ' dishonest 

 credit that prevail amongst buyefs, are assisting the 

 adulterators of oil and kernels. 



In my opinion the remedy was and is in a great 

 measure in the hands of the merchants and agents 

 themselves, who for instance' in the matter of the 

 purchase of palm kernels, if they combined together, 

 which they will never be got effectually to do — and 

 perhaps it is as well — could remove almost entirely 

 the evil complained of by their purchasing'by measure, 

 as is done elsewhere on the Coast, instead of by 

 weight, as now. The object, viz. increased weight, on 

 account of which adulteration is resorted to, being thus 

 removed, there would be no further reason for its 

 continuance. 



