Vol. Xri. Xo 291. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



199 



MOZAMI'.I(,)UE: ITS AGRICULTURAL UEVKL- 

 OFMENT. By R. N. Lyne, F.L.S , F.R.G.S. T. Fisher 

 Uiii'in. London. IS.s. 6rf. 



The author states in the preface to this volume, that it 

 does not claim to be a handbook with any pretence to authority 

 on the aj;riculture of Moziiiibique, but rather an cpiloine of 

 the conclusions arrived at after eighteen months' examina- 

 tion of the territory and its agricultural resources, with the 

 object of revealing Portuguese East Africa to the investor. 

 In view, however, of the author'^, former positions as 

 l/irector of Agriculture in Mozambique and in Zanzibar, and 

 his prtsent aiipointnun: as Director c.f .Agriculture, Ceylon, 

 the book must be regarded as a particularly valuable and 

 authoritative source of information. 



Starting with a description of the country's splendid 

 system of rivers and other natural ngricultural advantages, 

 the author proceeds to point out that the Province is well 

 placed as regards markets, being to a ceriain extent inde- 

 pendent of iMirope. Then follows a descriptisn of the 

 geography of the country of Portuguese East Africa. 



Chapter VII relates to the sugar- planting industry. 

 There are seven factories operating in the Pro\ince of 

 Mozambique with an ap[>roxiinate output for 1911 of 

 "27,600 tons of sugar. The adaptability of the Yuba cane to 

 conditions such us exist in ilozauibique is referred to. On 

 the subject of the coconut industry, not only does the 

 author give detailed statistics but also discusses the modus 

 operandi of planting the trees, and the practice of cutting 

 awav the lower branches after the plants have been estab- 

 lished in the plantation 



The problem of the future of rubber-planting is of consid- 

 erable importance, and practical experiesceis advocated before 

 coming to a decision as regards the investment of capital. 

 Following this is an accoimt of the cultivation of Ceara 

 rubber and the tapping of the tree. Carbolic acid, it is 

 stated, is now being u.sed as a coagulating agent in German 

 Eist Africa in the place of a 3 per cent, solution of acetis 

 acid. Continuing the subject of rubber in the following 

 chapter, we are informed that the chief source in iNfozambique 

 is the root of a type of Landolpliia, probably I^. Kirldi. 

 There is an interesting description of the method employed 

 by the natives in collecting rubber from this species; much 

 is said, also, with regard to the management of the forests. 



The growing of sisal hemp is the next topic which 

 receives attention and some instructive details are given 

 concerning cultivation. A subsequent ehapter is devoted to 

 what is probably the most profitable industry in East 

 Africa, that of tobacco-growing. Afte" describing the pros- 

 pects of cotton cultivation, some useful information is given 

 with regard tc the production of oi! from the seed of the 

 Trirhilin Eniitim, which grows profusely in Inhambane. 

 The uses of the cashew tree and nut which, like the above, 

 is a native of South America, are also •.-xplained. The minor 

 products of the country — groundnuts, rice, wattle, Phor- 

 mium, Tenax and maize constitute the subject matter of 

 Chapter Xl\. 



With reference to cattle breeding and dairying in the- 

 Lorenzo Manjues district, it is stated that conditions there 

 are somewhat similar to those in all tropical areas, 'where' 

 proceeds the author, 'cattle breeding will never be more 

 than a subsidiary industry.' This statement, however, would 

 appear to be somewhat sweeping and open to debate. An 

 interesting circumstance is alluded to in the same chapter, 

 namely, that the farther north one travels the fewer is the 

 number of oxen that is seen to be yoked into a team. 

 This is supposed to be a result of the enervating intlutnce 

 of the tropical sun. 



There is much to interest the reader in a chapter on 

 fruit growing. Bananas are not yet cultivated in Mozam- 

 bique, but it is thought that something might bo eti'ected by 

 extended trials of this plant. Cood results might also 

 accrue from the planting of spices such as vanilla, nutmegs 

 and cinnamon. The authors remarks on these industries 

 are well worth reading and should interest planters in the 

 West Indies. 



Little is said with regard to the natural forests, in 

 Mozambique, but conditions in the Province, in this respect, 

 appear t<i resemble somewhat those existing in British Guiana. 



A sparse population is undoubtedly the chief drawback 

 to the agricultural development of the country, and this 

 problem is dealt with at some length in Chapter XXIV. 

 'Tropical Africa abhors bustle' wri'es the author; Thi.s- 

 temperament, pervading a meagre density of 20 to 30 to 

 the square mile rendei-s it moderately evident that labour- 

 supply must be a limiting factor. 



The last chapter in the book is reserved for the 

 discussion of the Fiscal Systers. 



There are two appendices; a few notes on Ceara rubber 

 in East Africa comprising the first, the second being entirely 

 devoted to the Land Law. 



The printing of this book leaves nothing to be desired, 

 and the author has obtained several good and well selected 

 photographs. A useful index is provided together with a good 

 map of the Province, of which the northernmost point is seeu 

 to be the Fiufuma River, and the most southern, Oro Point, 

 some .")0 miles south of the port of Lorenzo Marques. 



The World's Production of Beet Sugar.— 



Practically one-half of the world's supply of sugar is fur- 

 nished b,y the sugar-beet. An equal (piantity is extracted 

 from S'Ugarcane. The sugar made from the sugar maple, . 

 sorghum, palm and other plants, is not enough to be con- 

 sidered in the world's markets. The sugar from oane is,, 

 of course, produced in tropical and subtropical eountries. 

 The greater part of the beet sugar comes from Central 

 I'^urope Germany leads with over 2 800,000 tons annually. 

 Next in order oomes Russia with 2,2.50,000 tons, Austria- 

 Hungary with 1,678,000 tons, France with 783,000, Belgium- 

 with 312,000, and Holland with 23'.), 000 tons. All these 

 countries produce sugar for export. The L^nited States- 

 produces 600,000 tons of sugar from beets. It will be seea 

 that the culture of the sugar-beet plays a very prominent role 

 in the agriculture of Northern Europe, and that it occupies 

 a correspondingly prominen* place in the national economy. 

 (Form the Journal of the Royal Sofii'ti/ ot Arts, April 2-5, 

 1913.) 



Information received recently from the Agricultural 

 Superintendent, St. Vincent, shows that weather in that 

 island was, during May, too dry to enable much progress to 

 be made in the preparation of lands for planting cotton and 

 othe* crops. Large nmnbcrs of coconuts have recently beea 

 imported for planting purposes. 



