34  The 
Kola  Nut. 
m.  Jour.  Pharm, 
January.  1895. 
Whither  Exported. 
Quantity. 
Value. 
Cwts. 1 
Qrs. 
Lbs. 
5,552 
2 
7 
£24,130 
$117,416.58 
i,S*8 
0 
14 
5,92i 
28,811.59 
694 
1 
2 
3,o55 
14,865.63 
928 
0 
18 
4,47i 
21,755-89 
291 
1 
0 
1,164 
5,664.02 
221 
2 
24 
896 
4,359-94 
147 
2 
0 
468 
2,277.28 
Total  
9,353 
2 
9 
£40,105 
$195,150.93 
1  1  cwt.  =  112  pounds. 
POSTMASTER  SPAINE  TO  ASSISTANT  SECRETARY  FAULKNER. 
The  kola  nut  is  grown  from  the  nut  itself.  It  should  be  planted  when  the 
nut  is  fresh,  and  not  in  the  dried  condition  in  which  it  is  exported  to  European 
markets. 
Raw  kola  nuts  should  be  planted  in  nursery  beds,  the  same  as  coffee  seeds. 
They  will  begin  to  shoot  in  about  five  weeks  and  produce  leaves  in  a  week 
after.  It  grows  with  some  rapidity  in  its  early  stage,  and  in  less  than  four 
months,  if  regularly  watered,  the  plant,  will  be  fit  for  transportation.  Its 
growth  after  this  is  slower,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  soil.  The  kola  likes 
a  moist,  but  not  damp,  soil  and  thrives  best  by  the  side  of  running  brooks. 
Lands  with  a  flat-rock  formation  a  few  feet  below  the  soil  will  not  do,  but  a 
loose,  porous  soil,  with  a  great  depth  of  earth  and  a  clay  or  sand  formation 
below,  will  do  very  well.  With  a  liberal  supply  of  manure  and  water,  during 
the  dry  season,  the  kola  tree  will  come  to  maturity  and  bring  forth  fruit  in  five 
years.  Where  the  conditions  are  less  favorable,  the  tree,  will  bear  fruit  two  or 
three  years  later. 
I  may  add  to  the  foregoing,  from  personal  knowledge,  that  the 
natives  here,  and  at  Bathurst,  Gambia,  eat  the  nuts  in  the  early- 
morning,  as  a  stay  against  the  wants  of  ordinary  food  while  travel- 
ling, and  in  the  evening  to  induce  sleep.  Altogether  they  consider 
that  a  general  benefit  to  the  human  system  is  derived  from  the  con- 
sumption of  the  kola — say  a  single  nut  morning  and  evening. 
Robert  P.  Pooley, 
Consul. 
Sierra  Leone,  October  16,  i8g/f.. 
