122 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
outgrows another, one suppressing the other, and the mixture con- 
sequently no longer existing. More European supervision is required 
to remove suppressed or crooked trees. 
III. District PLANTATIONS. 
Avenues of trees suitable for street-planting have been largely 
made in Lome. The Terminalia catalpa (almond-tree) is one of the 
most useful trees for this purpose; at least 12 feet of the stems are 
quite free from branches, and thus the trees cannot harbour many 
insects. 
The coconut, though made use of for this purpose, is not so 
suitable, as it lacks height-growth; the Draczna also, which does 
not improve the roadside, and a species of Ficus, probably platyphylla, 
which loses its foliage in the dry season, are neither of them a success. 
Near the Government House a large number of Casuarina equisitifolia 
have been planted ; these have flourished well, as they can stand the 
ocean wind blowing almost continuously at Lome. 
In the Experimental Gardens, which are situated 80 feet above 
sea-level, there are many interesting varieties. 
The soil, a mixture of very poor sand with a great deal of iron, 
is not favourable to height-growth of the teak (Tectona grandis); the 
seeds, though in great quantities, are small and ill-developed. The 
mahogany, too, showed poor height and girth growth, the locality 
was evidently not suitable for it. Other trees that did not seem to 
thrive were Cedrela odorata, the Cigar-box Cedar Tree, Pithecolobium 
dulcis, Funtumia elastica, Bread-fruit, Artocarpus incisa, Ficus Vogelii, 
Borassus flabellifer, Bixa orellana, Acacia catechu, Casuarina equisiti- 
folia, Manihot Glaziovit and Manihot dichotama ; but the oil palms, 
Eleis Guineensis, and Ficus elastica were doing exceeding well and 
were of a healthy green colour. Bamboos and the usual tropical 
fruits had also been planted. The Kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra 
according to German botanists, and Hriodendron Nigericum accord- 
ing to Kew botanists), which has been planted too far apart, has 
made very little growth. 
Under the guidance of the Director I visited the Agricultural 
School at Nuatja, 50 miles from Lome. Experimental work of all 
kinds was carried on here. In the nurseries were to be found Kapok, 
Ceiba pentandra, cotton and oil palms. In a machinery shed were 
a cotton gin and press, and husking machines for other seed. Lectures 
are given early in the year, and as the season advances practical work 
takes their place. 
A great drawback to the extension of the Atakpame District 
plantations (95 miles from Lome) is the shortness of labour, as the 
natives pay their tax instead of working. 
