1244 DEVEI.OPMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES 



rubber is exported from Portuguese Guinea to Hamburg, Marseilles and 

 Havre. In 191 2 there were exported 500.300 lbs. of a declared value of 

 some £ 79 410. The writer believes that by prohibiting the burning of 

 the wood and teaching the natives the use of a more rational method in 

 gathering and coagulating, this production could be greatly increased and 

 improved. 



Stimulating and Narcotic Plants. — Coffea arabica and C. liber ica 

 grow in the regions of Bolama, Buba and Cacine ; Theobroma Cacao at Bija- 

 gos; Stcrculia acuminata at Cacine. These plants thrive excellently but pro- 

 duce little owing to complete absence of cultivation. Recently the" Com- 

 panhia Commercial Agricola dos Bijagos " began cocoa cultivation by means 

 of imported seeds. The results hitherto obtained justify hopes of great 

 success. 



Sugar Plants. - The sugar-cane is cultivated in the regions of Farim 

 and Batafa, which, according to the writer, are best adapted for this cultiva- 

 tion. The mean annual temperature there is from 77 to 78.8° F. The rain}^ 

 season occurs between May and October, and for the rest of the year the 

 weather is drj-; the lands are chiefly low and moist, of clayey humus-limestone 

 composition. vSeveral navigable streams can supply non -brackish water 

 for irrigation, and also serve as easy and cheap ways of communication. 

 The population is sufhciently dense to furnish the necessary labour. In 

 the plantations, all of which are conducted b}' settlers, the sugarcane cut- 

 tings are generally planted at 20 inches distance in furrows 15 ^/^to 23 ^/2 in- 

 ches wide and 12 to 20 inches deep, 3 ft. 3 in. to 4 ft. 11 in. apart. For multi- 

 plication the best shaped canes, still green, are selected. The middle part 

 is reduced to fragments which are placed aslant in the furrow. The sow- 

 ing work is carried out from March to May, and no manure is used. The 

 after-management consists in weeding and keeping the irrigation ditches 

 clear. This is a system which ma}' be described as natural, because the sugar 

 cane is grown along the rivers. The waters of the latter are forced up once 

 a day by high tide, and rise to such an extent as to fill the irrigation ditches, 

 which are arranged perpendicularh' to the bed of the streams in question. 

 Fight months after sowing, the cane is ripe. The crop is gathered from 

 December to May. The plantation is renewed ever>^ 3 j'ears, that is, 

 after 3 crops. No sugar is manufactured. The whole of the cane grown is 

 devoted to the production of alcohol. The juice 3'ield of the cane is 48.5 % 

 and the sugar yield 13% . This region is admirably suited for sugar-cane grow- 

 ing, but is cultivated b}^ 15 settlers only over a total area of 84 acres. The 

 natives do not carry on this cultivation. In 1913, 790 675 lbs. of sugar 

 were imported into Portuguese Guinea. 



Horticulture. — Many green vegetables are cultivated, which grow 

 with sur})rising rapidity. 



Arboriculture and vSyl\iculture. — Among the most common 

 fruit trees, the writer mentions : Anacardium occidentale, the pine-apple, 

 Psidium Gtiajava (cultivated), orange, lemon, Canca Pa /)aya, all cultivated, 

 then; prickly pears, tamarind, banana and Zizyphiis Jiijiiba, utilised, but 

 not cultivated. 



