The agricultural and forest products of British West AfricaDudgeon, Gerald C. (Gerald Cecil)
History
The agricultural and forest products of British West Africa
Dudgeon, Gerald C. (Gerald Cecil)
Agriculture -- Africa, West; Forest products -- Africa, West
=Cotton.=—The cotton grown by the Dagombas is whiter than
those found in the south, and the plants are of small stature;
the species has a wide-opening pale flower, and has been grown
at Labolabo from seed procured in the Northern Territories. The
cotton fields are planted with regular lines of plants, and the
ground appears to be exclusively used for the crop during the
season. The seed is sown upon ridges which have been constructed
from the high conical mounds, upon which the combined crop of
millet (_Pennisetum spp._) or Guinea corn and yams were grown in the
previous year. Cultivation is performed by means of a short-handled
hoe, and the ridges are kept clear of weeds and grass until the
crop is ready. The seed-cotton is sold in the markets, and is in
good demand for the manufacture of native cloths. No insect pests
have been observed attacking the plants, and it is probable that if
an outside demand were established for the produce a large quantity
could be grown. It might be necessary to introduce a better variety
than that at present cultivated, as this yields a rather coarse and
short staple. If cotton from this part of the country is to become
an article of export, the difficulties at present experienced in
transport will first have to be overcome; indeed, this applies
to all the produce capable of being grown in the country. The
navigation of the Volta river and the two main branches seems to
suggest a means which might be employed, for, although there are
several rapids in the course from Daboya and Bole to Labolabo,
only one is impassable for canoes, even in the dry season. This
rapid is at Krachi where a short line has been laid for transporting
loaded canoes. The cost of the hire of canoes for making the journey
would probably be prohibitive, but if the British Cotton Growing
Association undertook the carriage by their own canoes of the salt
and stores required by the merchants who have commenced business in
Yeji and Tamale, the freight on these in the journey upwards would
probably be found to cover the cost of bringing cotton down-stream,
and the export trade in it could be developed in this manner. The
British Cotton Growing Association made an effort to act upon the
suggestion made here, but discontinued their operations in July 1916,
when they handed over their buildings, at Tamale, to the Government,
as it was shown that under the existing conditions and with but one
European representative to further its interests, cotton-growing
in the Northern Territories could not hope to become a remunerative
export business (Colonial Reports, Northern Territories, G.C. 1916,
No. 956). The irregularity of the rainfall is a matter which must be
borne in mind in any future attempts to develop the industry here,
but the possibilities of providing artificial irrigation should not
be overlooked, as large tracts of flat land exist near the White
Volta river capable of becoming fertile under proper irrigation
and drainage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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