90 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



last, which reaHsed 2s. lid. per pound. The white- 

 rubber vine (probably the Landolphia owariensis) 

 grows in profusion in this part of the country, and 

 the natives are beginning to recognise the juice as a 

 Valuable article of commerce. The native name of 

 the white-rubber vine is Pauwee." 



The black-rubber vine, known to the natives as 

 " Duah Kurrie," grows in even greater profusion than 

 the white, but its juice is not collected, its value, " if it 

 has any, being unknown. I understand that the 

 substance (I am not sure that it is india-rubber) pro- 

 duced from the black juice has not the same elasticity 

 that the rubber made from the white juice possesses." 



Of the French Settlements, rubber is classed among 

 the exports of the Senegambia. 



Of the Gaboon, where among other botanical 

 products the rubber vine has abounded and resulted 

 in a flourishing and profitable trade, it is well known 

 that there has been almost an extermination of the 

 trees that produced this valued article of commerce, 

 which has now ceased, I am told, to be included 

 among the exports from that part of West Africa. 



How different would it have been had there been 

 some system of conservancy or re-forestation, or even 

 had timely advice been tendered and advantageously 

 followed as to the treatment of the trees and the 

 collection of the rubber. This was a regular case of 

 killing the goose for the golden egg, and adds another 

 instance to those mentioned in my previously quoted 



