GINGER. Among the newly imported economic plants 



under trial at Kabete, is a plot of ginger, raised from 

 rhizomes received in Nov., 1916, from the Cedara 

 School of Agriculture, Natal. The plants have made 

 good growth and their general condition is en- 

 couraging. 



ORENA The fibre from the inner bark of this shrubby 



LOBATA. plant of the Malvaceae order, is being used in Brazil 



for the manufacture of coffee sacks, etc. Part of a 

 small consignment of Urena Lobata seed obtained 

 from the Department of Agriculture, Ceylon, and 

 sown at Kabete in the middle of January, 191 7, has 

 germinated satisfactorily, but the seedlings are 

 making slow growth. 



TEA. Several nursery beds were planted with Tea seed, 



imported from India, at the end of March, 191 7. 

 50% of the seed germinated, and at the time of 

 writing the seedlings are healthy and thriving. 

 In previous reports of the Economic Plants Division 

 mention has been made of the Tea bushes at Came- 

 ville, Limuru, where growth has been excellent. 

 Similar results are reported in connection with the 

 Tea bushes established at the Government Adminis- 

 trative Station at Kericho. 



TELFARiA This is the name of the huge cucurbitaceous 



PEDATA. plants rambling over several Albizzia trees in a section 



of the main nursery. It belongs to the cucumber and 

 melon family and is a native of the Shimba Hills and 

 Taveta districts, as well as other parts of the lower 

 tropical belt of the Protectorate. The fruit is fre- 

 quently 18 inches to two feet in length, and 8 to 10 

 inches thick, with several deep longitudinal furrows 

 outside. Numerous circular seeds are produced, from 

 an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. They yield 

 by pressure an excellent bland oil, and besides, are 

 eaten as dessert, the flavour of the nuts much re- 

 sembling that of the Brazil nut and the Caryocar nut. 

 From a spectacular point of view the clump of 

 Telfairias at Kabete holds premier place with visitors, 

 hence the following brief historical notice may be 

 recorded. In 1904 Kweme seeds were collected in the 

 Taveta district by Mr. Andrew Linton, and from 

 these seeds several plants were raised the same year 

 by the compiler of these notes, and established at the 

 old Experimental Farm, where they subsequently 



IHii 



