Miscellaneous. 



162 



[August, 1910. 



Special recognition of the assistance 

 given by the Imperial Institute has 

 been shown during the past year in the 

 action of the Transvaal Government in 

 considerably increasing its previous 

 subscription, and in that of the Govern- 

 ment of the Australian Commonwealth 

 in announcing its intention of contribut- 

 ing toward its funds. Gratifying as 

 these incidents are, no better testimony 

 as to the value of this institution is 

 required than that which is afforded 

 by the recognition of the scope and 

 thoroughness of its work. 



AGRICULTURE IN SOUTHERN 

 NIGERIA. 



(From the Agricultural News, Vol. VIII., 

 No. 178, February 20, 1909.) 



Southern Nigeria is one of the chief 

 among the West African colonies which 

 must, in the future, be notable as the 

 source of a large number of tropical 

 agricultural products. Its possibilities 

 have undergone very considerable deve- 

 lopment of recent years, more especially 

 since 1905. The total value of the ex- 

 ports, practically all of which were 

 agricultural products, amounted in 1906 

 to £2,951,000, and in the course of the 

 following year advanced to no less than 

 £3,863,000. 



Palm oil and kernels form the most 

 valuable among the products of the 

 colony, and the phenomenal increase in 

 the value of the exports during 1906-7 is 

 chiefly attributed to the exceptionally 

 good crop yielded by the oil palm in 

 that year. Southern Nigeria undoubt- 

 edly possesses enormous resources, but 

 the development of these resources is at 

 present in a very elementary stage. 

 Two factors mentioned in the latest 

 Annual Report on the colony, which are 

 essential to primary advancement, are 

 improved means of communication and 

 the material development of agriculture. 



In addition to palm oil and kernels, 

 the other valuable articles of export are 

 rubber, cotton, timber, cacao, and 

 maize. Palm oil was shipped in 1907 to 

 the extent of over 18,000,000 gallons, 

 valued at £1,313,960, while, in addition, 

 133,630 tons of palm kernels of the value 

 of £1,658,292 were also exported. These 

 figures are the highest on record for any 

 year in connection with the palm oil 

 industry of Southern Nigeria. Valuable 

 as the palm oil industry is at the present 

 time, it is mentioned that with improved 

 methods of transport, it would rapidly 

 undergo very great development, more 

 especially in the Central and Eastern 

 Provinces, 



Rubber also forms an important item 

 in the colony's exports. In 1907 this 

 product was exported to the value of 

 £244,989. These figures show a decline 

 on those of the previous year, but 

 this is due to the fact that unskilful 

 tapping has been prohibited in some 

 of the principal rubber districts. The 

 Forestry Department of the colony is 

 endeavouring to encourage the natives 

 to plant rubber trees, and also giving 

 instruction as to the best means of 

 tapping and preparing rubber. There 

 are large tracts of land, eminently suited 

 to this product, and plantations of both 

 Para and Funtumia trees, started in 

 recent years, are said to be doing well. 

 All the rubber at present exported is 

 forest produce. 



It is satisfactory to note that the 

 efforts of the British Cotton-growing 

 Association, aided materially by the 

 Government, are having excellent re- 

 sults in Southern Nigeria. This work 

 was started in 1903, when the cotto 

 exports were worth only £375 per 

 annum. In 1906, the shipments of lin^ 

 and seed were valued at £51,906, and in 

 1907 had advanced to £107,891. Cotton 

 is produced at a very low cost in the 

 colony, and a price of only Z\d. per lb. 

 at Liverpool allows a profit to th 

 grower. Points which will have to be 

 considered in relation to the develop 

 ment of the cotton industry are : care 

 ful seed selection work, with proper 

 attention to the improvement of indi- 

 genous varieties ; suitable rotation o 

 crops, involving the cultivation of 

 second product which will improve th 

 soil, and also yield some return tha 

 can be exported— ground nuts for ex 

 ample— and the more extended intro 

 duction of ploughs and other labour 

 saving implements. 



A good deal of timber — chiefly Wes 

 African mahogany— is obtained from 

 Southern Nigeiia, the exports in 1907 

 being valued at £69,241. It is evident, 

 too, that the colony is one which, like 

 the Gold Coast, possesses great possibi- 

 lities in the way of cacao production. 

 Excellent land well suited to this cultiva- 

 tion exists over extensive areas, and i 

 is mentioned that the industry is in a 

 most flourishing condition. 



At present faulty fermentation and 

 lack of proper attention to pruning are 

 said to diminish the value of Southern 

 Nigeria cacao from 10 to 15 per ceut. on 

 the European market. The exports in 

 1907 were valued at £47,840 as compared 

 with £27,054 in 1906. 



Maize is another agricultural crop 

 which is largely grown in the protector- 



