CHAPTER VII 
TOGO 
INTRODUCTION. 
Durie the latter part of 1911 I had the opportunity of visiting Togo. 
Since August 1914 it has been in the occupation of British and French 
troops, administered as a co-dominion. 
Forest Station work has been the main work of the Forest Depart- 
ment since the inception, both under the District Officer and subse- 
quently under the trained officer. There is only 1 per cent. of forests 
in the whole country. 
Lome, the capital of Togo, formed my starting-point, and there 
His Excellency the Governor and the Secretary of the Colony advised 
me as to the best route and supplied me with many interesting details 
as to the system of taxation, etc. 
Taxation.—In Lome every man above sixteen years of age has 
the choice of paying 6s. per year or working twelve days for the 
Government. On the coast it is found that the natives prefer to 
pay the tax, but inland the twelve days’ work is usually given. This 
Government work consists of plantation and road making, bridge- 
building, erecting rest-houses, and many other kinds of public work. 
The subject may be divided into three sections : 
(1) The Forests between or at the Stations. 
(2) The Forest Department Plantations. 
(3) District Plantations. 
I. Tse Forgsts BETWEEN OR AT THE STATIONS. 
Near Lome the ground is very sparsely covered with thorny shrubs 
and occasional Baobabs, Adansonia digitata, but on nearing the valley 
of the Schio the soil improves and small plantations of sugar-cane 
appear. Though no attempt has been made here to develop this 
industry, the natives of Tagblekovke and other places sell large 
quantities of the cane. Oil palms are seen on both sides of the 
line, chiefly, however, on the river banks, owing to the annual grass 
fires. Scattered silk cotton-trees also occur along the river banks, 
otherwise only the nonal dry-zone vegetation is found. 
The rainfall, however, is quite sufficient for the growth of a deciduous 
forest. The remains of fringing forests on the banks of the Rivers 
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