458 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



The Para tree was introduced into Lagos in 

 1895, when a number of trees were raised from 

 seed in the gardens at Ebute Metta. At the 

 end of 19U7, the average girth of six of these 

 trees, taken three feet from the ground, was 

 31 inches, the largest tree being 45 inches in 

 circumference. In 1902 twenty-five Para trees 

 were planted at the Olokemeji Gardens (Wes- 

 tern Province), and their average girth at the 

 end of 1907 was just over 12 inches, the largest 

 tree measuring 17 inches in circumference. At 

 the Calabar Gardens (Eastern Province) there 

 are also a number of well-grown trees about 

 six years old. 



Since 1905 a large number of Para seeds have 

 been imported from the Straits Settlements for 

 trial in the three provinces. In the Western 

 Province the Forest Department has estab- 

 lished two small experimental plantations of 

 26 and 10 acres at Agege and Mamu respec- 

 tively, whilst at Sapele, in the Central Pro- 

 vince, Messrs. Miller Brothers have a planta- 

 tion of nearly 200 acres under Para. In the 

 Eastern Province also a large number of Para 

 plants have been raised and distributed. 



The result of these experimental trials show 

 that for the first two or three years the seedlings 

 suffer considerably from drought during the 

 dry season. In 1907, for example, the loss from 

 this cause at Sapele and Agege was about 30 

 per cent, but at Mamu it was less than 10 per 

 cent. After that period, however, the trees 

 survive the dry season with comparative safety, 

 and compare favourably in rate of growth with 

 those in other countries, such as India and 

 Ceylon, which have a marked dry season. 



With reference to the general suitability of 

 Southern Nigeria for the cultivation of the Para 

 tree it is pointed out that the colony includes 

 a dry and a wet zone, the line of demarcation 

 between which is approximately 6° 15' north 

 latitude. Places to the north of this line have 

 a rainfall of less than 78 inches per annum, 

 whilst those to the south have more than that 

 amount. Thus at ten places in the dry zone 

 the annual rainfall varies from 40"92 to 74 "7 

 inches, with an average of 53 - 16 inches, whilst 

 at eight places in the wet zone the figures 

 range from 87'08 to 251*49 inches with an aver- 

 age of 128"67 inches. In the dry zone the aver- 

 age range of temperature is normally between 

 95° E. and 54° F. ; in the wet zone the daily 

 maximum during December to March is 88° 

 F. and the minimum during May to August 

 is 73° F. 



It is evident from these records that there 

 are many places in the wet zone of Southern 

 Nigeria which have an annual rainfall prac- 

 tically equal to that of the Federated Malay 

 States, although the distribution throughout 

 the year is not so even. The range of tem- 

 perature is also very similar to that of Malaya 

 and the soil is quite as rich. It seems pro- 

 bable, therefore, that the Para tree could be 

 successfully cultivated in parts of the wet zone 

 of Southern Nigeria, and Mr. McLeod suggests 

 that the formation of plantations of the trees 

 should be encouraged in suitable localities 

 where they would not interfere with the palm- 

 oil industry. — Imperial Institute Bulletin. 



RUBBER ON THE IVORY COAST. 



How great a proportion of West African Rub- 

 ber comes from the Ivory Coast is shown by 

 the French Blue Books, which give the total 

 exports of rubber from the Ivory Coast for the 

 three years 1905, 1906 and 1907 as amounting to 

 4,071,136 kilos (8,975,226 lb.) The Ivory Coast 

 alone, therefore, during these years exported 

 more than three times as much as the whole 

 of Ceylon, India, Burma and Assam imported 

 into England. 



Accompanying the Prospectus is a report 

 of M. Greville-licache, a very well-known ex- 

 plorer, who acted as Lieutenant to Monsieur 

 Boushon Brandeby, Secretary of the College of 

 France, and to Col. Binger, late Administrator 

 of the Ivory Coast, after whom the capital Bin- 

 gerville, is named, M, Gerville-Reache has held 

 the following appointments under the French 

 Government : — Scientific expedition to French 

 Oceana (Pacific Islands), 1886; expedition to 

 Senegal and the Sudan, 1889 ; expedition to the 

 French Congo, 1892 ; and the Ivory Coast, 1894. 

 He resided on the Ivory Coast for many years, 

 and is thoroughly acquainted with rubber 

 forests in West Africa. He spent a considerable 

 time last year on the property and himself 

 tapped the trees — 



From M. Gervillo-Reache's report in the Pro- 

 spectus of the Ivory Coast Rubber Estates, Ltd., 

 it will be seen : — 



Title. — 1. That the boundaries of the two 

 Concessions are clearly set forth in the official 

 title deeds, and that the title deeds are in order. 



Cheap Transport. — 2. That it is possible to 

 land the rubber at Liverpool or Hamburg from 

 the estate in 23 days, and although not men- 

 tioned in M. Gerville-R^ache's report, it appears 

 that steamers of the Elder-Dempster Line and 

 the Woermann Line call at Blieron and Tabou. 



Labour. — 3. That there is no fear of any 

 scarcity of labour, which frequently happens in 

 other districts, and that the natives are peaceful 

 and hardworking and very anxious to get Euro- 

 pean goods, which they can only get by their 

 labour. 



Cost of Production. — In regard to cost of 

 production, M. Gerville-Reache says : — " I have 

 carefully calculated the cost of production on 

 this property as follows :— 

 Wages paid to the natives for tapping 



trees, collecting the rubber and de- £ s. d. 



livering of SO kilos frs. 23.00 19 2 



Transport by small steamer belonging 



to the Company from the property 



to the port of Blieron ,, 0.50 U 5 



Expenses of storage, packing, bags, 



&c, at Blieron ,, 0.G0 C 



Freight to Liverpool or Hamburg „ 2.50 2 1 



Loss in weight, 5 per cent, on selling 



price „ 12.50 10 5 



Brokerage, 2 per cent, on selling price, 



5 francs per kilo in Europe „ 5.00 4 2 



General Expenditure in Europe „ 25.00 1 10 



Total frs. 69.10 £2 17 7 



say 1 fr. 38 per kilo " (which works out at well under Sd per 

 lb.). " This rubber is now sold in Europe at 4s 4d a pound. 

 For our purpose we will take only one- 

 half of this price, that is .5 francs £ s. d. 

 per kilo, 50 kilos by 5 francs = frs. 250.00 10 8 4 

 Deduct expenses as above ,, 69.10 2 17 7 



Profit frs. 180.90 £7 10 9 

 that is to say, 3 frs. 62 profit per kilo " (which works out at 

 a profit of Is 4d per lb.). 



