242 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



fire-wood at Accra ; let me also point out the scarcity 

 there of water, and the difficulty, especially in the dry 

 season, of procuring it except by those who can pay 

 for it. Miles have at present to be gone over for 

 water. I remember during 1882 that while con- 

 siderable anxiety was felt at Accra, as regards the 

 vitality of a young plantation, from the absence of rain, 

 there was abundance of it at Cape Coast about seventy- 

 five miles off — which must be attributed to the fact 

 that the suburbs of the latter are still protected by 

 vegetation, and, at a certain depth inland, by forest. 



It is well worthy of consideration whether judicious 

 re-clothing with vegetation should not there proceed, 

 and with such an object in view the Assistant- 

 Director of Kew mentioned to me the Casuarina as a 

 tree likely to answer ; it is of much more rapid 

 growth than Eucalypts, can withstand sea-spray or 

 climate affected thereby, and furnishes a fine timber 

 and excellent fire-wood. 



I am not now going so far to occupy limited space as 

 to embody any conclusions based on the average annual 

 consumption in each Colony of timber as fire-wood 

 for each house ; nor yet for periodic but regular and 

 growing requirements as regards windows, doors and 

 other carpentry fittings, and their renewal ; nor yet for 

 the local recurring wants in the matter of supply and 

 renovation of boats, canoes, wharves, &c., although 

 there thus might be afforded interesting and startling 

 facts when we knew of the average annual timber 



