Vol. Xri. No 298. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



)15 



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SYA^ALAXD PROTfXJTOIlATE: ANNUAL RE- 

 I'ORT OX THE DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTIRK 

 FOR THE YEAR EXDED .VARCH il, lUl-i. 



The climatic conditions for the year under review were 

 marked by a scarcity of rain. There was a resulting dearth 

 of food fur native employees, and this necessitated the strictest 

 economy in labour which to some extent influenced adversely 

 agricultural progress for the time being. 



COTTON. 



The cotton crop for the year was a successful one. In 

 regard to the markets for cotton, some delay was occasioned 

 by several circumstances, yet the prices paid for first quality 

 cotton varied from M. to 9|<Z. per B). or about Id. per lb. in 

 advance of last year. In the marketing of the cotton more 

 attention is now being directed to the important que.-tion of 

 baling, and it i.s hoped in a few years that the 400 R). bale, 

 which is the official bale of the British Cotton Growing 

 Association, will become the standard of the Protectorate 

 Seed selection in cotton cultivation has received careful 

 attention. 



The success which has so far been obtained in regard to 

 the native industry has been due largely to the establishment 

 of Government cotton markets where the lint is inspected 

 and weighed by the Government before being ottered to the 

 general public for sale. The willingness on the part of the 

 British Cotton Growing Association to purchase lint from 

 natives all over the Protectorate has al.<o been of very great 

 assistance. 



Tobacco. 



The acreage under tobacco for the year under review 

 was 7,411 as compared with 4, •'507 in the previous year. 

 The tobacco industry in Nyasaland is stated to be making 

 wonderful progress, and considering in 1902 the total export 

 amounted to only 60 ll>. as compared with 2, 262, .545 fc. in 

 the year under review, it may be presumed that in a few- 

 years when more capital has been attracted to Nyasaland, 

 the industry will become a very important factor in 

 the tobacco markets of Great Britain. It is instructive to 

 note that of late complaints have been received from manu- 

 facturers in regard to the packing and size of bales. Stand- 

 ardized bales 2 feet 6 inches x 2 feet 6 inches x 2 feet, with 

 double canvas packing are strongly advocated. In connexion 

 with the industry an appeal is made for greater assistance 

 on the part of the Government which might be shown, for 

 instance, by the appointment of a tobacco expert on the 

 staff of the Department of Agriculture. 



TE.V .\XD COFI-KK. 



The tea crop is one of the most important minor 

 cultivations of the Protectorate. The export of the commo- 

 dity for the year under review amounted to 67,726 B). as 

 compared with 4.3,876 It), in the previous year. Nyasaland 

 tea is gaining rapidly in favour with the local population 

 and is largely consumed by most people in Nyasaland. The 

 local price is Is. to Is. 6* per lb. 



The partial failure of the rains again proves coffee to be 

 the most fickle crop of Nyasaland. There was a marked 

 decrease during the year, the value of the exports faHiDg 

 from £I6,:3^1 lo £4,868 This meant a reduction in area 

 under cultivation of 1,135 acres. It is to be regretted that 

 cotfee is an UDstaple crop in Nyasaland since the quality 

 leaves nothing to be desired. 



CIIILLIE.'i AND CAfSICU.II.S. 



Nyasaland chillies remain the standard on the home 

 market, but on account of over-production last year the 

 market was totally swamped and there was a big drop in 

 prices accompanied by a consequent reduction in acreage 

 from 789 to 21,3 acres. This should tend to improve prices 

 in the coming year. 



KUHiiEU AND FIBRES. 



ilost of the rubber grown in the Protectorate is Ceara. 

 The uncultivated source is principally Landolphia parvifolia, 

 the rubber of which is successfully extracted from the under- 

 ground parts by combined mechanical and chemical processes. 



Turning", to the subject of fibres, it is stated that both 

 sisal and Mauritius fibre suffer from cold in the higher eleva- 

 tions, but give profitable result.s when cultivated below 2,.500 

 feet. The success of the British Central Africa Company in 

 connexion with this cultivation is believed to be in great 

 measure due to their enterprise in importing a 'New Corona' 

 fibre machine— a machine which can extract 30 cwt. for 

 a ten hours day: with a higher fibre percentage, indeed 2 tons 

 might reasonably be expected. 



PLANT DISEASES AND I'ESTS. 



The most prevalent disease during the year has been 

 Cercospora nicotiiinae, which has been very common on 

 many tobacco estates. A species of Vermicularia was 

 observed on the safHower crop, and specimens of Ceara 

 rubber were found attacked by one of the Polyporaceae the 

 name of which was not determined. Tea has been found 

 affected with the 'shot hole' disease. The fungus responsible 

 for this condition in India, Pseudopeiziza Guepini, has not 

 been observed on material collected in Nyasaland. 



The year has been characterized by a severe general 

 outbreak of leaf-eating caterpillars. The weather has been 

 favourable for this increase, and the view is expre's^d that 

 the long dry season may have destroyed the natural enemies 

 of various species. The cliief pests of cotton in Nyasaland 

 are the boll worms, which include three species — the red boll- 

 worm (Dijiaropsi!' caftavea), the Egyptian boll-worm {Earias 

 insulana), the American boll-worm (C/doridia nrmiyera). 

 Cotton aphis, leaf hoppers, stem weevils and termites have 

 also been responsible for some damage to cotton. Tobacco has 

 been far more free from disease than cotton. The chief 

 pests of tobacco are the leaf-eating caterpillar (Prodenia 

 litura), the tobacco stem borer (Phthorinae heliopa) and cut 

 worms. These latter are the worst enemies of tobacco that 

 has been planted out. 



VETEI;1NARV INVESTIGATIONS. 



After referring to the resolutions passed by the 

 Veterinary Conference held in April 1913, the Veterinary 

 Oflicer proceeds to discuss the circumstances surrounding 

 outbreaks of trypanosomiasis. It is believed that the 

 disease was contracted in two of the outbreaks from stray 

 tsetse Bies following game or natives from one or other of the 

 small tributaries of the Shire River, and eventually finding 

 their way on to normally healthy grounds of the herds in 

 question. A certain amount of loss is caused in cattle from 

 piroplasmosis. This being a tick-borne disease, great 

 emphasis is laid upon the necessity for systematic dipping. 



