124 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
The mixed plantations are not very -plentiful, but teak and oil 
palms have been planted together, though not systematically, and 
have proved a very profitable mixture, which is worthy of notice here. 
In its early years the oil palm is a shade-bearing tree, so that the shade 
of the teak does not hinder its growth. In the oil-bearing season the 
teak is leafless, which is beneficial to the formation of fruit in the oil 
palm. The dense foliage of the oil palm kills the adventitious shoots 
or side branches of the teak, so rendering pruning unnecessary. In the 
dry season the soil is protected most thoroughly by the evergreen 
foliage of the oil palm, and its masses of small roots conserve the 
moisture of the soil, while the wide-spreading roots of the teak allow 
the surface water to run away. For instance, teak and Iroko are 
not so suitable a mixture, as they both cast their leaves at the same 
time, though when planted together the teak tends to accelerate 
the height-growth of the Iroko, and also keeps it freer from the 
attacks of the gall bug. 
If space permitted, many more instances of the advantage and 
disadvantage of these mixtures might be given. 
Orchards have been largely planted at Sokode too. Oranges, 
limes, tangerines and Cola vera have done well, and the Spondias 
dulcis yields very large fruit. The date palms have not yet fruited. 
Fibre plants, including sisal hemp, and the Panama palms seem to 
be growing well; fibre for Panama hats is obtained from this palm. 
A substation of Sokode, Bassari, was my next stopping-place. 
The station is situated on the northern side of the mountain, over- 
looking the valley of the River Kamaa. The plantations, with the 
exception of the Ficus elastica, which is 200 feet higher up, are all 
planted below the station. The approximate altitude is 1,350 feet 
above sea-level. 
The following species have been most extensively planted: Teak, 
Oil Palms, Afzelia, Khaya Senegalense, Iroko, Ebony, Kapok, Funtumia, 
Ficus elastica, Manihot heptaphylla, Manihot Pianhyensis, Aspido- 
sperma Quebracho, Cesalpinia Sappan and Cassia florida. Large 
orchards had been made, and these contained tangerines, lemon and 
many other kinds of tropical fruits; and very fine specimens of 
Eucalyptus trees showed how suitable this locality was for them. 
About 200,000 trees have been planted here within ten years. 
Funtumia, when planted with teak,. grows well in this area, as 
the shade of the teak is beneficial to it; but planted alone, the leaves 
become a poor colour and drop prematurely. The same thing is 
noticeable when planted with mahogany. 
In the case of Ebony, one of the knottiest forestry problems of 
Europe, viz. that of finding suitable trees for admixture, has been 
solved. Many of them died when planted pure, but the gaps being 
filled with teak, the ebony seedlings, put into competition with this 
