NIGERIA 177 
the side of roads. Its rather formal habit, with the almost even whorls 
of branches, fits in with the straightness and even width of a road. 
By many it is not realized that the nuts can be comparatively easily 
cracked and the kernel inside is good to eat. 
Michelia champaca is another most suitable tree for avenues. 
The chestnut-like leaf and the large, almost magnolia-like flowers 
are of a white colour, giving it a “‘ distinguished” appearance such 
as is necessary for a roadside tree. The flowers, too, are used for 
making scent. 
Both as a shade tree and for its gum the Balsam of Peru (Toluifera 
Pereire) is also worthy of a place both in avenues and in plantations. 
Some seedlings were obtained from the Botanical Gardens at Pretoria, 
where the tree has grown comparatively well. Not so suitable for 
plantations apparently at Olokemeji is the Sugar Palm (Arenga 
saccharifera). However, in isolated places small plantations have 
been made with the Sago Palm (Corypha elata), such as in the swamp 
opposite Calabar and the small grove of the Betel Nut Palm (Areca 
catechu) near Lagos. Both these give promise of being useful acquisi- 
tions to the palms of economic use in Africa. 
Before leaving the exotic trees, mention must be made of the Thuya 
(Thuya occidentalis), which were obtained from the Canary Islands by 
Major Cockburn and planted on the hill at Obubra. Although some- 
what slow growing, they have thrived in that climate and do not suffer 
from disease. This is the only example of a Conifer which has been 
successfully introduced into Nigeria. 
Amongst the other indigenous trees of which plantations have been 
made there is the Cedar Mahogany (Pseudocedrela Kotschyi), Emi 
gbegiri, Yoruba, which apparently grows but slowly in Olokemejji. 
It is much the same with the self-sown seedlings and with root suckers, 
both of which have proved disappointingly slow in that locality. 
Then also at Olokemeji we have the dry-zone Mahogany, Khaya 
Senegalensis, Oganwo of the Yorubas and Ogwangu of the Benis, 
growing in a small plantation and raised from seed brought by H. N. 
Thompson, Esq., from the Shaki district in 1910. So far the growth 
has been comparatively rapid, though the tree is occasionally attacked 
by the leading-shoot borer, which makes it fork comparatively 
low down. 
Of the African Walnut and the Long-capsuled Mahogany, Lovoa 
Klaineana and Entandrophragma Condollei, most isolated specimens and 
groups appear to have been planted in the leased areas of Benin. 
In addition to these, some other specimens and small plantations are 
found in the Calabar, Degama, Benin and Olokemeji Arboretuma, as 
well as in the plantations of the Ogba and Olokemeji. Thus far only 
the Long-capsuled Mahogany has been planted in these; the difficulty 
of obtaining seed of the African Walnut has precluded its wider distribu- 
12 
