FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 157 



XI. 



West African Vine. — I have not touched upon 

 the large imports into West Africa of harmful spirits, 

 wines, liqueurs, &c. ; yet West Africa is not without 

 its promise of a development of the grape industry. 

 The grape vine is found wild in various parts. 



In a letter at Kew Gardens, which I was allowed 

 to use, from Cape Town, 7th December, 1880, it was 

 conveyed that " a French explorer, M. Lecart, at 

 present on the banks of the Niger, writes that he has 

 discovered a new vine, Vitis macropus, which promises 

 to be of great economical value. The fruit is ex- 

 cellent and abundant ; the cultivation of the plant 

 very easy ; its roots tuberose and perennial. It can 

 be cultivated as easy as the dahlia. He himself had 

 been eating the large grapes of the vine for eight 

 days, and found them excellent ; and he suggests 

 that their culture ought to be attempted in all vine- 

 growing countries as a possible remedy against the 

 phylloxera!' 



Under the Order Ampelideae in the appended list 

 of economic plants will be found several species of 

 Vitis of an edible nature, and doubtless capable of 

 culture with advantage. 



