BRITISH SPHERE OF THE CAMEROONS 421 
For the furtherance of all agricultural and forestal interests, the very 
extensive Botanical Gardens had been made. Not only is it the 
largest, but it contains the most extensive collections of plants of 
economic value and for ornament of any place on the West Coast 
of Africa. The very numerous test plots of most of the tropical 
commercially known plants, such as Nutmeg, Rubber, Cocoa, Cola, 
Cocoanut Palms, Oil Palms, Vegetable Ivory Palms, demonstrated 
how these grew in the Cameroons. 
Then the agricultural areas of Cacao-yams, Casada, Sugar-cane, 
Rice, one and all were destined to demonstrate the value and pos- 
sibilities of growing these products in the Cameroons. Then again 
the forest tree plots of Teak, Casuarina, Mahogany (Swietenia macro- 
phylla), Trinkomalee Wood (Berrya ammomilla), Gum Copal (Copaifera 
Demeusii), Candle Nut (Aleurites Moluccana), Balsam of Peru (Toluifera 
Pereire), Terminalia sp., Dillenia Indica, show how these trees will 
thrive in this locality. In growth, an avenue of Indian Almond, 
Terminalia Catappa, could not be compared with those at Lome. 
Again, all showed what forest products and forest trees were most 
suitable to that climate. 
In the garden Museum, there were collections of timbers, 
fibres, rubber, gums, resins, as well as mineral products ; also 
very full collections of the seeds, nuts and fruits of the trees and 
plants. Finally, there was the large and well-equipped building of 
the Experimental and Agronomical Institute, where chemical analyses 
of the soil and other processes could be undertaken and tested. Here 
also all the very full meteorological results were tabulated, as well 
as other observations on the spot. This served also as a centre to 
which planters or Government officers could send specimens or material 
to be named or to be examined as to their value. Allied with this, but 
having a separate building, was the Agricultural School, where pupils 
were trained in the elements of agriculture and forestry, so that they 
might subsequently act as instructors at the different Government 
stations and also serve as assistants on the plantations. 
Although economically much more backward than Nigeria, and 
with a smaller population in a proportionate area than that in the 
Southern Provinces, the possibilities in the development of the forest 
products are even greater, especially in regard to that of palm kernels 
and all the various kinds of timber for which West Africa is gradually 
becoming well known. The main difference in working would appear 
to be that owing to the lack of population, much greater use of animal 
and mechanical means of transport, and especially mechanical 
appliances, as well as machinery, are necessary to make the labour most 
productive, as well as to economize without upsetting the present 
agricultural system and the very necessary production of food-stuffs 
for the local population, as well as for sending to the larger towns. 
