~_IMPERIAL INSTITUTE HANDBOOKS_~ THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST PRODUCTS OF BRITISH WEST AFRICA IMPERIAL INSTITUTE SERIES OF HANDBOOKS TO THE COMMERCIAL RESOURCES OF THE TROPICS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BRITISH WEST AFRICA ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES EDITED BY WYNDHAM R. DUNSTAN, C.M.G., M.A., LL.D., F.R.S DIRECTOR OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE; PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR TROPICAL AGRICULTURE [Illustration: =WEST AFRICA= Territory held by Great Britain under Mandate is hatched in Red. [Legend] _Stanford’s Geogl. Estabt., London._] ~_IMPERIAL INSTITUTE HANDBOOKS_~ =THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST PRODUCTS OF BRITISH WEST AFRICA= BY GERALD C. DUDGEON, C.B.E. LATELY CONSULTING AGRICULTURIST AND DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF AGRICULTURE IN EGYPT; PREVIOUSLY INSPECTOR OF AGRICULTURE FOR BRITISH WEST AFRICA WITH A PREFACE BY WYNDHAM R. DUNSTAN, C.M.G., M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. DIRECTOR OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE _SECOND EDITION_ WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1922 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED =PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION= Since the first edition of this book appeared, British West Africa has experienced a serious set-back in its development through the occurrence of the Great European War. From that war, however, many lessons will have been learnt, which will, it is hoped, make the course of progress in the future more sure and perhaps more rapid. The cultivation of cotton has now been shown to be successful and profitable in Nigeria. In the Northern Provinces great progress has been made in perfecting a cotton originally grown from “American Upland” seed, whilst the Southern Provinces have produced increasing quantities of an improved native cotton of the type of “Middling American.” The future of cotton production in Nigeria is now assured, and its further development chiefly depends on effective action being taken on commercial lines.