FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. is,\ 



shewing a remarkable and steady decrease in the 

 amount of rainfall in this district during the last four 

 years. The deficiency last year was apparent to the 

 inhabitants of Freetown when, towards the close of 

 the dry season, difficulty of obtaining water from the 

 usual sources was complained of in your columns, and 

 if this amount be further reduced by one half, as has 

 occurred in the second quarter of this year, the 

 result will be disastrous. The only cause that can be 

 assigned for this decrease is the wholesale destruction 

 of the woods and forests, ^^'hich are at once the 

 collectors and reservoirs of its water supply. This 

 has occurred in other tropical regions, and when the 

 cause was learned, by fatal experience through 

 famine, the result of drought, then the forests were 

 taken under Government protection and replanted, 

 with the best results, but at great expense. It would 

 be well to take warning from our Eastern allies, 

 profiting by their experience, and put a stop to this 

 unlimited practice of shaving the forest of timber, 

 which at one time formed a valuable item of export ; 

 before its effects are brought home to the people 

 by the failure of the water supply,' at present the 

 one redeeming element against the many unhealthy 

 influences at work in the Colony." I have added the 

 statistics for 1883, 1884, and 1885, which point to an 

 improvement in the direction of greater conservancy 

 or more extended planting : perhaps of both. 



Mention has been already made of the dearness of 



R 



