Liberia *- 



Sheep and goats are kept for their flesh. Nowhere in Liberia 

 do they seem to milk their goats or cows or to care about milk. 

 Dogs are kept throughout the country, and the Vai people also 

 have tame cats. In many parts of the interior of Liberia the 

 smaller breeds of dogs are eaten. Mr. Sim notes the very large 

 breed of dog which is kept by the Nidi people on the Duobe 

 River. 



Native agriculture in the coast regions is simple and perhaps 

 somewhat degenerate. Most of the field work is done by 

 women among the Kru peoples on or near the coast, because 

 so many of the men go to sea for their livelihood as sailors or 

 fishermen. Farther inland the people of all tribes are decidedly 

 agricultural in their tastes, though they do not rise above the 

 simple Negro methods, and have no idea of manuring (except 

 by wood ashes) or of the rotation of crops. 



When a new plantation is required, the men often aid 

 one another in turn, voluntarily. The month of January or 

 February is chosen for the purpose on account of the relative 

 drought, the bush and trees are cut down, left for a short time 

 to dry, and then burnt. The unconsumed logs are dragged aside 

 as much as possible, and the women (or youths) set to work to 

 hoe up the soil and mix with the clods the ashes of the burnt 

 vegetation. The ground is then ready for sowing when the 

 new rains tall in March or April. 



Manioc (cassava or cassada) is often planted simultaneously 

 with rice in alternate rows. The rice ripens before the cassada, 

 and the tuberous roots of the latter then occupy all the 

 round. But after one crop of any product the land is seldom 

 tilled a second time. It is given up to weeds and bush tor a 

 long period, until this subsidiary growth is sufficiently developed 

 to yield a supply of manure in the form of ashes or leaf- 

 mould. 



1000 



