402 



The Country Gaitlanaiis Magaranc 



ground, more or less, from time immemorial, 

 and have introduced and cultivate many useful 

 plants from the surrounding countries. Of 

 the Gramineoe no fewer than 200 species are 

 reported ; and several species peculiar to the 

 country are cultivated for their grain : wheat, 

 barley, maize, and oats are growi, the first 

 and second extensively. 



The principal indigenous cereals culti- 

 vated are the Tefif (Poa Abyssinia), the 

 Dagussa or Tocusso (EUeusine Tocusso), 

 and the Michella (Andropogon Sorghum). 

 Of the foregoing, Teff is the most important, 

 being extensively cultivated throughout the 

 country, at an elevation of between 6000 

 and 7000 feet above the level of the sea. 

 There are many varieties of Teff, such as 

 white, red, green, and purple. 



According to M. Richard,-'' four months 

 from the time of sowing are necessary to bring 

 the seed of Teff to maturity. In the environs 

 of Gondar it is sown in August, and cut about 

 the end of November or beginning of Decem- 

 ber ; and in favourable seasons produces forty- 

 fold, but oftener less than ten-fold. 



Speaking of this grain Bruce says : — 



"The Abyssinians, indeed, have plenty of wheat, 

 and some of it of an excellent quality. They like- 

 A\ ise make as fine wheaten bread as any in the 

 world, both for colour and for taste ; but the use of 

 v.heat -bread is chiefly confined to people of the first 

 rank. On the other hand, Tefif is used by all sorts of 

 people, from the king downwards ; and there are 

 kinds of it which are esteemed fully as much as the 

 vheat. The best of these is as white as flour, exceed- 

 ingly light, and easily digested. There are others 

 of a browner colour, and some nearly black ; this 

 last is the food of soldiers and servants." 



Michella is largely grown, and offers in- 

 numerable varieties. Another grain exten- 

 .si\'ely cultivated is the Tocusso. The meal 

 of this is also used for making bread and 

 cakes, but Tocusso is chiefly employed in the 

 preparation of beer. Previous to being 

 tised for the latter purpose, it undergoes the 

 -same process as barley in this countrj^ Barley 

 is grown in considerable quantities in the 

 highlands, and is also employed both in 

 making beer and as food for man and beast. 



^" Flora Abysiinia." 



According to Bruce, their Bouza or beer is 

 made in the following manner : — 



"A jar of Tocusso contains as much as is suffi- 

 cient to make two loaves, that are a tenth part of 

 the whole jar ; besides which, they use about half a 

 votol of 'Ghesh' leaves (Rhamnus sji. ). The 

 first part of the process is to gi-ind the Tocusso, 

 after which they take a fourth part of it, and knead 

 it with water and leaven, as if to make bread. This 

 they put in a jar to ferment for two days ; at the end 

 of M'hich they make a good many thin large cakes, 

 and dry them on the fire until they become as hard as 

 stone, then break them down into crumbs, and put 

 them into a large vessel full of ^^•ater, capable of 

 holding six times the volume of the grain. The re- 

 mainder of the meal must be put into a hollow oven, 

 over a fire, -with a small quantity of water, and con- 

 stantly stirred until it becomes a black paste, which, 

 \vith the bruised ghesh leaves, is put into the jars con- 

 taining the crumbs and water, let alone for a day, 

 and then poured off, and preserved in jars well stopped. 

 At the end of seven or eight days this liquor begins to 

 be too strong, and is best when fresh, t\\o or three 

 days old." 



Sedges, or Cyperacete, are numerous, and 

 employed in various ways. The Papyrus, ac- 

 cording to Bruce, is a native of Abyssinia, 

 and boats made of the stalks were the only 

 ones in use at the time he resided in that 

 country ; but subsequent travellers have not 

 met with, or have neglected to collect it, and 

 make no mention of it. 



Palms are rare in tropical Africa, or rather 

 the species are few in number, and three only 

 are reported from Abyssinia — namely, Phoenix 

 dactylifera (the Date), Hyphjene thabica (the 

 Doum), and an unnamed species, described 

 as stemless. The Date is cultivated. The 

 Doum or Doom is indigenous, and is found 

 in the vicinity of Gondar, up to an elevation 

 of 6000 feet above the sea level. This palm 

 is remarkable on account of its stem being 

 often two or three times branched, deviating 

 in this respect from all other known members 

 of the family ; the nonnal state being a 

 simple or undivided trunk. There are five 

 species of the Yam family, Dioscoreacete,. 

 natives of Abyssinia; and one, Dioscorea 

 Schimperiana, is found in almost every part, 

 but whether any use is made of its roots- is 

 unknown to me. Aroideoe are not largely 

 represented. A species of Arum, called 

 " Ambatcha," has tuberous roots, similar to- 



