23 
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1 
SIERRA LEONE. 
The Governor furnished a report of which the salient feature was the opinion that it is absolutely 
necessary to take steps to educate the native population in the adoption of less wasteful methods of 
agriculture. The local custom is to exploit fresh land at frequent intervals; the limit of the supply of 
+Tesh laud is nearly reached; and it will be necessary to adopt ordinary farm methods which maintain 
the fertility of the area cultivated. Foodstuffs are scarce, and the education of the people m this 
matter should be pushed on as fast as possible. 
Palm kernels are the principal export of the Colony, but they fetch, a smaller price than palm 
kernels exported from Lagos. The lower price is due to faulty cracking and cleaning. An ordinance 
has been passed to establish a system of inspection for the prevention of the export of inferior produce. 
Sierra Leone produces rice, kola, limes and piassava of a very high quality, and good oranges, 
cocoa, rubber, ginger and coconuts. There are also many unstudied trees that yield good oil, notably 
Pentaclethra macrophylla and the native po-yok, 
The Governor remarks that the obvious policy for the Colony is to develop to the full its known 
agricultural resources and to make a study of the possibilities of the rest. For the latter purpose a 
large area is available at Jala, which is being developed into a botanic garden as well as an experi¬ 
mental station. This station should be specially useful in the study of local oil-bearing trees. 
For the development of the known agricultural resources, and apart from education, the <ro\er 
relies on (a) the distribution of seed for the encouragement of native planting; (b) the establishment 
of small model farms at different centres; and (c) the opening of economic plantations. I his last, 
the most important in his opinion, is hampered by lack of funds and trained personne . 
For the time being the best results are being obtained in the production of cocoa _ A cocoa 
station has been established in the Northern Sherbro District and is doing good work, but improved 
methods are necessary in fermentation. 
Rice is the staple food of the people, and its export is prohibited. 
The Governor remarks that no copra, limes or oranges are being exported at present, and but 
little rubber. He points out that it is impossible to develop an export trade m these articles without 
the establishment of plantations producing on a scale sufficient to ensure the minimum s ' , f l P y i ' l t ' 
for the purpose. He advocates the establishment of such plantations as regards limes and coconuts, 
but anticipates difficulty in securing the services of successful manageis. 
As regards mineral resources, the Colony has recently established a Geological De]iarfme 
The Governor remarks that the discovery of marble or of beds of good clay or haolm rmg u 
reaching effects, and that in the meantime much has been done towards successful buck-mat 
Geological examination of the Colony is in progress. 
Water-power is not lacking to drive turbines, if necessary, but the great difference m the vo ume 
of water in a river in the wet and dry seasons limits the water possibilities, except m the eae 
few large rivers. . . , 
Cattle-rearing takes place to a limited extent all over the country, and extensively m the 
Koinadugu District. . , 
In the matter of fisheries an experiment is about to be made in the use dsma *a,w nejv 
More attention is being given to the question of boat-bmidmg; and it is f P 
in that subject will ultimately be formed at the Sir Alfred Jones Trade School. 
N 0 t e The services of two Indian rice experts have been obtained to instruct the native* m 
improved methods of cultivation. A forestry expert is shortly to visit the , .olony who mil, it is 
hoped, assist in solving the problem of carrying on agriculture ivitbout destroying forest^ Th 
geologist reports that there is little prospect of mineral discoveries, the. strata being remaiKa , 
uniform and barren. 
WEST INDIES. 
BAHAMAS. 
Li 1910 Sir William Allardvce, the then Governor, who was on leave, took the opportunity of 
drawing &e ^tent on of the Colonial Research Committee to the position of the spongc md-t^ and 
Se need for further scientific investigation with a view to placing the ^'y^^-he and irnS 
upon a commercial footing. Sir William Allardyce attended a meeting of the Committee and fnrms&ea 
■ -fsassz fit s ssrar- •—• 
issr 
beino 1 brought to the Nassau Exchange which are of little or no value. Only a very small percentage 
of those procured by the spongers consists of marketable sponges ; far and away the 
has, after purchase, to be carefully sorted and clipped Clippings . f hundreds of 
met with in enormous heaps in various parts of the city and its outskirts, while 
cartloads are thrown on the ground annually and allowed to rot as manure. , . , ,, , 
“ The successful artificial cultivation of sponge has been conclusively demonstrated, both at 
Snonffe Chase Farm, Florida, and in the Bahamas. On the eve of my departure from Nassau, at the 
end of March, the Secretary of the Marine Products Board informed me that the Caretaker at the 
Ferrv Experimental Farm, Exuma, had just reported that the sponges had made a wonderful grow h 
some of those first planted having a diameter of from 8 to 10 inches, and that in some cases they had 
completely overgrown the cement discs on which they were planted and attached then 1 selves to the 
bottom thereby showing that six-inch discs are too small. From this alone it would appear that the 
Colony has got beyond the experimental stage so far as the general question is concerned, t.ew et_ ei 
sponges can or cannot be propagated artificially; but the services of a marine biologist are, nevertheless, 
R lSVl& 
