242 ]\Ir J. Buchanan on tlie Vegetation, &c., of Africa. 



damage to bananas, sugar-cane, and coffee, while in many 

 places every leaf came off the Msuku and other trees in 

 low places. The rainfall generally ranges from 30 to 50 

 inches. The lowest fall I have seen was 30 inches, and 

 the highest 62. An inch and li inch is the common rain- 

 fall in the twenty-four hours, but I once saw 6 inches in 

 the same period. It seldom rains long at a time during 

 an ordinary shower, and the sun rapidly dries the ground. 



Native Crojjs. — Maize is the most important crop of the 

 highlands ; sorghum takes its place on the upper river, and 

 millet lower down ; while rice, "which is also freely culti- 

 vated, has a ready market at Quilimane. Sweet potatoes 

 and beans are also largely grown. In the highlands the 

 bean shrub, Cojanus indicus, is met with everywhere. Some 

 smaller grains are more sparsely cultivated, as well as 

 cucumbers, pumpkins, and water melons. Castor oil 

 plants, though not in the native gardens, may be seen 

 round every village. Tobacco is grown for home use. 

 The roots of the Cassava, which is extensively grown, are 

 seldom used till they are two years old. Ground nut and 

 sesamum, too bulky freights to send from the highlands, are 

 freely cultivated for sale on the river. 



We have introduced to Blantyre the cultivation of 

 coffee, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, figs, granadillas, 

 which all do well. The European vegetables grown in 

 the mission gardens all thrive, with the exception of 

 cauliflower. With a Government which could guarantee 

 security to capitalists investing money, the district is 

 worth colonial enterprise, promising, from the cultivation 

 of such products as have been enumerated, a brilliant 

 future. 



Note on Asplcnium germaniciim. By John Lowe, M.D., 

 King's Lynn. 



(Read December 11, 1884.) 



Having always entertained a strong doubt of the sup- 

 posed hybridity of Asplenium germanicum, I have for many 



years, during occasional visits to Switzerland, kept a close 

 look-out for any forms which might serve to throw additional 

 light on this debated subject, and, having always observed 



