The mixture is left in the sun for three or four days, during which time pre- 

 sumably acid fermentation sets in with the production of a weak kind of vinegar- 

 The mixture is then bottled and is said to keep for a couple of months provided 

 that from time to time, it is again exposed to the sun. It is eaten with beans, 

 meat or leaves. 



(4) When leaves are being dried to make mfutso, a few tomatoes are often 

 added to improve the flavour of the product. 



(5) Tomato leaves are occasionally cooked when other leaves are very scarce. 

 They are not liked as they have an unpleasant flavour, they are sometimes 

 mixed with okra, Hibiscus esculentus (Mayani, Dedza District). 



Ref. 23. 



♦297. Malus pumila Mill. (Syn. Pyrus malus L.). (Rosac). Apple. 



Apples have been planted in several parts of the country but do not do well 

 except at high elevations. A good large green kind which cooks well is growing 

 at Chintembwe D.R.C. Mission in the Kota Kota Hills at 5,000 ft. but most of the 

 kinds grown are lacking in flavour. A few trees are to be found planted by Africans. 

 Apples are not good fruits to encourage for native use as they are poor sources of 

 vitamins C and A. 



*298. Mangifera indica L. (Anacard.). Mango. 



Embe or yembe (kiSwahili), mango (N). 



A much-branched evergreen tree native of East tropical Asia, up to 60 ft. bearing 

 large quantities of edible fruits, ripe from October to February according to elevation 

 and variety. There are several kinds in the country, some very good large ones 

 (Karonga) but the common one has small (3-4 ins. long), fruits which are often 

 fibrous and taste of turpentine. The mango is the commonest of all the fruit trees 

 except bananas in the country. It is almost impossible to prevent trees from 

 springing up wherever the large stones have been thrown down. Hence, wherever 

 mangoes have been introduced by European or Arabs in the past, trees are now to be 

 found in large numbers within easy walking distance of the centre. They do 

 particularly well at low elevations and are slow to ripen their fruits at much above 

 3,500 ft. 



The fruits are eaten raw by young and old alike and are very much liked. The 

 leaves are occasionally cooked for a side-dish (Mtwalo Jere's, Mzimba). They are 

 tough and hence need to be pomided and cooked with potashes. The timber is 

 used for boat and canoe building, also for window or door frames (Tt). 



In the Nkata Bay District mangoes grow freely but are said to fruit rarely, 

 their poles are sometimes used for building and also for firewood. 



During a food survey at a Kota Kota Lake-shore village, during the mango 

 season, it was found that all the villagers, adults and children, were eating an average 

 of ten fruits a day at the height of the season and one child reached the record of 28 

 on one day! 



Ref. 17; 23; 26; 27. 



*299. Manihot esculenta Crantz (Euphorb.) (Syn. M. utilissima Pohl). Cassava, 



manioc. 

 Cinangwa (N), inangwa (Y), mpwani (Ngu), mayao (Tu), cigawo (To), amayabo (Nk), 

 kayabo {Svi),falinya (Se), njumbula (Ng). 



A shrubby perennial, native of Central America, 5-10 ft. high, leaves 3-7 lobed, 

 capsule 6 winged, forming numerous elongated underground tubers which are ready 

 for digging after about ten months' growth. There are a very large number of 



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