ay. In Liberia coffee holds the same relation to the farmer as cotton
in America; yet it is planted like the peach tree or apple tree. It
takes about five years to yield, but when it begins to yield it
increases yearly, costing about five cents a pound to clean, hull and
ship to market, giving a clear profit of from two to five cents on the
pound, while there is no real profit in cotton growing. Liberia would
yield cotton as prolifically as Arkansas or Mississippi, if
cultivated. The Englishmen are turning their attention to cotton
growing in West Africa.

Cassadas takes the place of the American sweet potato, but is much
easier produced, as the greatest cost is the labor of planting. It
produces without cultivation, and, as there is no frost in West
Africa, once planted it will produce for twenty years. It is a root as
is the sweet potato.

The upland rice of West Africa grows anywhere and everywhere it
chances to fall upon the ground. Very little attention is given to
cultivation, yet it could be made an export which would yield the
farmer a most valuable income. Corn grows as prolifically in Africa as
in the bottoms of Georgia and Alabama. Planting is the hardest task.

The palm tree grows as the pine in Georgia or North Carolina, and the
nut which it produces is as large as, or larger than, a horse
chestnut. These nuts contain an oil that answers all the purposes of
bacon, lard and butter in America. The greatest task is to have a boy
climb the tree and cut them down. This oil fries your fish, seasons
your greens, shortens your bread and answers all the purposes of lard
or butter.

There are hogs, cows, sheep and goats in West Africa, but no meat can
be cured, therefore all bacon is shipped from abroad.

Rubber farms are much more profitable than turpentine farms, for the
reason that it costs so much less to produce rubber and the profit is
so much greater. Rubber is produced at from fifteen to twenty cents
per pound and sold at from seventy-five cents to one dollar per pound.
While all of these products are used on the ground, with a few
exceptions, yet all of them are profitable commodities for export.

We have presented this array of facts to sustain our position that the
Negro will be benefited by returning home to Africa as fast as he is
self-reliant and independent. But he must be a man; boys cannot stand
the hardships of pioneer life.

TOPIC XXXIII.

THE NEGRO AND EDUCATION.

BY MRS. LENA MA