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i+3.SPICES.176. Nigeria nee made two notable efforts to enterthe spice trade. An industry in cured white ginger hasbeen nursed in southern zaria since 1930: exports reacheda maximum of 380 tons in 1935. Despite an exacting systemof grading the product failed to meet trade requirements.The area under crop wse therefore restricted in 1939, whenby carrying out chemical analysis in the field the gingerwse brought to B.P. standard for the first time: expertsin that year were only 85 tons.177. Yellow ginger haB been grown from 1940 onwardsand 8bout 50 tons per annum were exported between 1941 and19U3* It has been found easier to cure than white ginger,and quality has been well up to standard, although it hasnever secured the price paid for Jamaican ginger of theseme grade. Supervision cf preparation and regular analysishave been needed; in recent years exports have beenreduced by local demand, and it was necessary to advancethe price from Ud. to 6d. per lb. Grade I in 19UU-U5. Itis doubted whether cured ginger is now a payable proposition,and it is proposed to permit the export of rough scrapedginger, trial consignments of which have received favourablereports.178. Trial shipments of Japanese (Birdseye) Chillies,made in 19U1 after a careful programme of selection andbreeding, received most encouraging trade reports. Exports,mainly from Oyo and Benue Provinces, were 25 tons in 1942-43,83 tons in 1943-44 and 122 tons in 1944-45. The o*cp payswell, yielding 5 to 6 cwt. per acre at £4 per owt. Nigeriahopes to retain a share in the post-war market. The marketis a restricted one and we are advised not to compete.With Nigeria's experience of the exactions of the spicemarket we may assume that this advice is disinterested.CITRUS.179. I examined as many citrus farms as poaelble tosee whether I could find any cases of the 'sudden-death'which has occurred on sweet citrus budded on Sour Orangeat Asuansi or of the general ^e-back from which limes inAbakrempa-Aeebu are suffering. Citcus plots were inspectedat Agege, Ibadan, Owena, Benin, Samaru and Kano.180. Sour Orange is in general use ae a stock bothwith budded rlants imported as such (Moor Plantation Y 5)and with buddings made locally on stocks grown from seedimported from Florida end orinidadc (Open pollinatedSeed produced in Nigeria from these importations is nowbeing used for the production of stocks at Asuansi.)N5. .