5O8 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



given over to natives, and naturally only native methods 

 of cultivating the soil had been in vogue. 



In the kitchen gardens and plantations of Ibo and 

 other islands where whites or half-castes live, some 

 cultivation, even if rudimentary, was practised, but 

 always according to native methods. It may be men- 

 tioned, however, that these methods when practised 

 by natives of the more intelligent tribes, were, and are, 

 superior to those of many other districts in Africa. 

 Thus, for example, in the Mataka district (lower 

 Lugenda), it was ascertained in October, 1912, that 

 " in the settlement of Macocolo, where the preparation 

 of land for the new plantations had commenced, as far 

 as the eye could see there was land traversed by irriga- 

 tion canals and dotted with mounds of cattle and goat 

 manure, which gave one the impression that the lands 

 were manured in order to increase their productivity. 

 From Sarrange to Muembe, and from Muembe to 

 Licopolo, the whole district was seen to be abundantly 

 watered it may be said to be one enormous plantation, 

 partly unsown and partly covered by tobacco, cotton 

 and flat maize." (Report of Governor Dr. Matta e 

 Bias on Mataka Occupation, 1912.) 



With the occupation of the Territories by the Com- 

 pany, European initiative and capital were gradually 

 attracted, principally during the last 8 or 10 years. 



The regulations for concessions for agricultural 

 exploitation offer excellent facilities for obtaining land; 

 in fact, the only difficulty is the question of which land 

 to choose. For exploitation on a large scale the 

 Company has entered into special contracts for sub- 

 concessions. 



Generally speaking, at the present time the agricul- 

 tural exploitation of the Territories of the Companhia 

 do Nyassa is carried on in the following ways : 



(a) Native cultivation. 



(b) Small plantations belonging to the Company 

 attached to the posts. 



(c) Moderate sub-concessions. 



(d) Large sub-concessions. 



Both as regards native agriculture and that carried 



