Vol. XIII Xo. 324. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



JVl'ASALAA'I) I'ROTECTOUATE: ANNUAL RE- 

 PORT ON THE DEIW HTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

 FOU THE YEAR EN DING MARCH 31, lOL't. 



The oliief itulustrj- in this Pioteotorate i.s cotton growing. 

 In hist year's report it was recorded that the planters in tlie 

 highhinds had a successful year, whilst those with estates at 

 lower elevations ixperienced a disastrous one. The position is 

 now diametrically opijosite, and tlic unfortunate failure of the 

 crop in the Shire highlands has meant failure to nine-tenths 

 of the European planting community. This was occa.sioned 

 \)y unfavouralile climatic conditions accnmjianied by a heavy 

 attack of l)oll worm, especially the red lioll worm (Biparapsis 

 castaiiea, Hamjjs.). The low yields which were the natural 

 re.sult, --vorc accompanied this year by a marked reduction in 

 the length of stajilc, which led to a reduction in tlie average 

 price obtained. It is gratifying to be able to .state that the 

 question of unsatisfactory baling has practically disappeared, 

 and planters are now availing tlninselves of the advantages 

 of the hydraulic presses established in various parts of the 

 country. The exported crop in 1!)1."?-14, in bales of 400 tti. 

 of lint, amounted to 6,00;i as against 8,093 bales in the 

 previous year, and the acreage under Europt-an cultivation 

 was 2r),()i)7. The local valuation •>( thecrop was .£().5,4f<6 as 

 compared with i;S(),!).SS for 1912-13. This shows a decrease 

 of ap])roximatcly i;l-"),4o2 for tlie year under review. 



Wliereas cotton growing on the larger estates will be 

 seen to have been temporarily disappointing, tliat on the 

 native holdings is shown to be in a condition of inrmanent 

 advancement. The native crop for the year under review 

 shows an increase of 4o3.', tons of seed-cotton, or an increase 

 in lint amounting to fiS.") l)ales of 400 ft), each. The export of 

 native cotton has risen from li)() l)ales in 1908-9 to 1,811 

 bales in 1913-14. Although the transport of the jiroduct is 

 rendered dithcult by the want of extended railways and roads, 

 the marketing of the crop has been vastly improved 

 by the establishment of a system of Government cotton 

 markets, which were in full opeiation iluring the year 

 under review. These are to be i)M»nounced an uncjualitied 

 .success; and this can be well a|)pn'<iated by the reader who 

 is familiar with the success that has attended the Govern- 

 ment .sale of cotton and other products for the benefit of the 

 peasants, in the West Inrlies. The system referred to in 

 Nyasaland has the warm support of the British Cotton Grow- 

 ing Association. There has lieen a steady improvement in 

 the quality of the lint, and the licenses i.ssued to traders in 

 certain centres resulted in keen coni)ietition in the purchase 

 ■of the crop, and no ditlieidty Wiis found in obtaining a local 

 .sale for all the cotton produced. 



As regards tobacco, which apjicars to be lieconiing the 

 chief cultivation on the larger estates, it is said that the area 

 under this crop for the year under review was 10,499 acres 

 a.s compaicd with 7,411 in the previous year, and the e.xport 

 of cured tabacco tVir the year first referred to amounted to 

 3,763,014 lb., which was valued locally at approximately 

 £94,167, showing an increase in the exixirts of this crop to 

 the value of £37,569 or 1,500,46'.) Iti. in weight; and the 



t'.iw.-ci now being harvested covers an area of 9,534 acres. 

 In spite of unfavouraVile weather during the past year, it will 

 '"■ —en that the export of tobacco from N^yasaland is steadily 

 !i,' -.■i<ing: but at the same time, it must not be considered 

 I hat a large crop is not always a profitable crop, for tli-- one ' 

 at present under consideration was not valuetl as highly as 

 the smaller crop harvested in 1911-12. In London, there 

 appears to be a rapid sale for the highest quality leaf at 

 satisfactory prices, but it is maintained that the future 

 success of tobacco growing in Xyasaland will depend upon 

 finding ipiick markets for medium grades, whidi undoubtedly 

 form the major portion of the crop. 



It .seems that the good prospects which lie befoi-e the 

 cultivation of tea in Nyasaland de])end upon the interesting 

 develo]jment, noticeable during the last few years, that the 

 nioi'c educated natives are beginning themselves to consume 

 this beverage. It may not be in the far distant future liefore 

 the local demand fen- tea will equal the supply, to the greater 

 l)rofit of the grower, since it pays better to sell tea at the local 

 l)rice of Is. to ls.6'^. per lb. than export it to Loudon to be 

 sold at from od. to dd. per lb. 



Some progress is reported in regard to rublier. and there 

 is quite a fair quantity of cultivated and uncultivated rubber 

 ixported from the Protectorate, amounting in value, during 

 the year under review-, to i'6,237 and =£3,360 respectively. 

 The area ha.s increased during this period, but the exports 

 show a decrea.se in value. The year under review is distin- 

 guished by the circumstance that it is the first in which 

 the exports of cultivated rubber have exceeded those of the 

 wild kind. 



The cultivation of coffee is dying out. Little but regret 

 can lie expressed at this, for, provided, satisfactory prices 

 remain firm, this crop is undoubtedly the most profitable f)ne 

 in the Protectorate. However, prices have tiuetuated and 

 planters have been discouraged. The area under cultiv- 

 ation is now 1,976 acres, showing a reduction of 624 acres 

 compared witli the area recorded in the previous year. The 

 gradual disappearance of the old and once important Chillie 

 and Capsicum industries has been caused by similar factors 

 of uncertainty, but it is pointed out in the report that the 

 markets for these products are now getting firmer and the 

 question is raised as to whether it may not be advisable for 

 the larger land owners to take up again these original 

 cultivations more extensively. 



The last section in the Director's report deals with 

 Xyasaland as a cattle-raising C(juntry. In view of the 

 increased demand for meat, the large areas of suitable pasture 

 land and the healthy conditions as regards disease maintained 

 with the assistance of the veterinary staff of the Department of 

 Agriculture, there is every prospect of important develop- 

 ments in cattle i-aising. Government herds, scattered through- 

 out the various districts, are now selected and centralized 

 under proper management at the Government Farm near 

 Zomba, where careful experiments will be carried out in the 

 breeding, milking and transport qualities of the cattle and 

 the possibility of profitable crossing with imported breeds. 



It is not proposed to review in this article the sujjple- 

 nientary reports to that of the Director, compiled by the 

 various Officers on the staff of the Department. These are 

 principally of local interest or, at least, of special interest, only 

 to those immediately concerned in the various lines of work 

 with which they deal. Special reference, however, may be 

 made to the report of the Veterinary Officer, and to that of 

 the Agricultirrist, which contains an interesting section deal 

 ing with plant diseases. 



