necessity displace others who, through antiquated methods or 

 less suitable conditions, are unable to compete favourably. 



The future success of the sisal industry of British East 

 Africa seems therefore assured. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



Mr. T. THORNTON : Mr. Chairman I shall be glad if the 

 lecturer will give us some idea as to the climatic conditions 

 of East Africa. Some of us come from other parts of 'Africa, 

 and it will be interesting to know if the climatic conditions 

 are similar in East Africa to what they are in the parts of the 

 Continent where we are working. In Nigeria at a certain 

 time of the year the atmosphere is very moist, and then it 

 changes, and is as dry as it has been moist during the other 

 part of the year. I wondered if sisal would be able to with- 

 stand a change from a very damp climate to a very dry one. 



Mr. WIGGLESWORTH : The climate varies very much in 

 British East Africa. You have one climate at the coast, 

 another at a higher altitude, and still another higher up. The 

 rainfall all over Africa is one of the most peculiar things; it 

 varies so much. You will get a valley deprived of rainfall, 

 and then on the top of the hills looking over that valley, not 

 more than five or six miles off, you will have a copious rain- 

 fall of 50 or 60 inches, or even more. In German East Africa, 

 as far as can be ascertained the climatic conditions are not very 

 different from those of British East Africa, especially on the 

 coast. But the Germans have not cultivated sisal to the same 

 height that we have. 



Mr. MANHIRE : i should like Mr. Wigglesworth to give us 

 some rough idea of what it costs to land a ton of fibre in 

 England. He has given us working costs and so on, which 

 will be very useful, but they want a little following out. If 

 we could get it just roughly for purposes of reference, it would 

 be very useful. 



Mr. WIGGLESWORTH : I think that is a question which is 

 rather difficult to answer, because obviously those who know 

 have it in confidence from those who plant and produce the 

 fibre; and I do not think they would care to publish the infor- 

 mation. I will only say that the cost of growing sisal in East 

 Africa, especially in the uplands, is, as far as I can find out, the 

 lowest in the world. - 



The CHAIRMAN : I will conclude by proposing a vote of 

 thanks to Mr. Wigglesworth for his clear and informing 

 lecture on this very interesting subject, which is certainly a 

 .most interesting question to all colonies and all tropical 

 countries. I ask you all to join with me in thanking Mr. 

 Wigglesworth. 



