KYAMBU. 



^HE administrative district of Kyambu comprises situation. 



rather more territory than this article is intended 

 to deal with, including, as it does. Escarpment, 

 Ivimuru, Dagoretti, Kikuyn and northwards to the 

 Chania River as well as Kyambu proper. The altitude, 

 therefore, ranges from approximately 5,000 feet to 

 over 7,000. This, with an average rainfall in different 

 parts of the district from 38 to 56 inches, and 

 wonderfully rich soil, gives the possibility of such 

 a range of products as is probabh' unsurpassed in any 

 other part of the Protectorate. 



The main portion of Kyambu consists of a series topography. 

 of ridges running east to west, on the eastern end 

 falling away into the Athi Plains and on the western 

 terminating in the Kikuyu Escarpment overlooking 

 that remarkable natural chasm — the Rift Valley. 

 Here are Mount Suswa and Mount Longonot, both 

 extinct volcanoes. It may be assumed, therefore, 

 that the formation of the Kyambu district is due to 

 the volcanic action of these two mountains in the 

 dim and distant past. 



The country rock of the district is purely soil 

 volcanic, much of it being solidified ash, with, in formation. 

 places, an admixture of iron. In parts evidences of 

 sedimentary rock are to be seen, and good workable 

 lime has been found. The soil of the district is 

 mainly composed of red loam of immense depth. 

 A peculiarity of the soil site is that the greatest depth 

 is on the ridge tops, while on the valley slopes the 

 country rock is exposed to a larger or smaller extent. 

 This would seem to indicate that until quite recently 

 the whole district was Ov)vered by forests and that 

 the soil is the product of centuries of tree deposit 

 That this is the case is evidenced by the fairly general 

 existence of roots of the muhogo and wild olive trees, 

 the wood of which are impervious to the ravages of 

 termites (white ants) and of rot. Such is the soil 

 which has already shewn itself capable of wonderful 

 production, and which, under careful hiUsbandry pro- 

 vides almost inexhaustible supplies of plant foods. 



The district is exceptionally well watered — no WATERWAYS, 

 fewer than eighteen rivers and streams flowing 



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