32 



There is but little restriction as to space for the Native Chiefs 

 and their people in Nigeria, and in some ways this is unfortunate 

 and bad for the country in general. 



It has been stated by Mr. Punch,* with regard to Lagos, that, 

 "The accepted doctrine that private ownership of land is against 

 African Custom is a disadvantage. 



" The farmer does not look on the land as permanently his 

 property, to be improved and developed, but crops it without rest 

 or rotation until absolutely exhausted, and then sacrifices more 

 forest. 



" I think it would be good if forest land were vested in the 

 acknowledged native authorities, that farmers were encouraged to 

 register their farms, and that burning of new forest were utterly 

 prohibited. 



"That quite sufficient forest land has been cleared for the 

 agricultural needs of the people is proved by the enormous tracts 

 of Isale t bush, showing the position of abandoned farms." 



The boundaries of the native plantations should be settled in 

 the first instance officially by Europeans, and as the soil, however 

 good it may be at the start, will eventually become poor and 

 ineffective, the " intensive " method of cultivation shculd be 

 adopted instead of clearing another area, and work should be 

 conducted on scientific principles towards the improvement of the 

 soil by manuring and effective tillage. 



The simple requirements of the native cultivator, or at least all 

 that has been so far aspired to, are a matchet, a pointed stick, a 

 box of matches, and a hoe ; these are his capital, and of the other 

 agents of production, land, with the natural adjuncts of heat and 

 moisture, are freely and fully supplied, and labour is to be had in 

 sufficiency, either individually or at the command of the Native 

 Chiefs. 



No accurate measure of the fertility of the soil under these 

 conditions can be given, but its producing powers are remarkable. 

 The soil usually is not worked to any depth greater than that of 

 the hoe-blade, 6 to 9 inches or a foot at the most, and manure is 

 never used. There are extensive areas under cultivation in the 

 Old Calabar and Cross river districts, particularly inland from 

 Ogurude. 



With reference to the country lying between Zaria and Kano, 

 Sir Frederick LugardJ has mentioned that " the method of culti- 

 vation is more thorough and more advanced than is usual in Africa. 

 The soil is worked to a depth of over a foot, and here and there 

 rude forms of irrigation are employed, while for the first time in 

 Africa I saw with surprise that the fields are manured." 



Lieut.-Col. Mockler-Ferryman§ describes the Agriculture of the 

 province of Kano as follows. 



* Rep. February 9, 1890, Botanical Enterprise in W. Africa, 1889-1901, p. 98. 

 1 Native term for abandoned farm land, " Igboro " is twice-grown scrub. 

 % Geog. Journ., Vol. xxiii , 1901. p. 22, Northern Nigeria. 

 § "British Nigeria " (1902), p. 170. 



