160 NIGERIA NORTHERN PROVINCES 



period of eight years. In the year of plantation, the 

 ridges are said to be heightened. Near Bida very high 

 beds are made for it, resembling flat-topped mounds, 

 with an area of sixteen or more square feet. The Haussas 

 apply the name " Dankali " to the root, which is usually 

 of the small white variety. 



Artichokes and small Root Crops. The Jerusalem arti- 

 choke (Helianthus tuberosus) called " Gwaza," as well as 

 " Rizga " (Plectranthus sp.) and " Tumuku " (probably 

 Plectranthus sp.) are cultivated by the people living 

 to the south of Zaria Town. 



" Gwaza " seems to be less planted than " Rizga," the 

 latter being carefully grown upon selected ground which 

 has been previously hoed and levelled, the surface being 

 covered over with branches of Bauhinia reticulata and 

 other forest plants until the stems of the crop have 

 reached a height of one foot or more. Single stems 

 spring from the root eyes which are planted. ' ' Tumuku ' J 

 resembles " Gwaza " in appearance, but comes up in 

 clusters of stems and is planted upon mounds. 



All the above roots are used in the manner in which 

 the potato is employed in Europe ; cassava alone being 

 pounded to make a kind of dough ball, in addition to 

 being eaten in chopped up and boiled form. 



Onions. Two kinds of onions are cultivated through- 

 out the country : Allium cepa, the large onion which 

 is seen to perfection in the Kano markets, and Allium 

 ascalonicum which is usually termed the shallot, and is 

 cultivated to a larger extent in the localities where 

 manure is scarce. 



The variety of large onion grown in Kano is pink 

 upon the outside, and for this reason, according to 

 inquiries conducted by the Imperial Institute, is said 

 to be quite unsuitable for the English market ; the white 

 Egyptian onion being preferred. 



Cultivation. The cultivation of onions is, perhaps, 

 more carefully carried out than that of any other crop, 

 and may be described from that seen at Lemu in Nupe. 

 The seed is sown closely in beds of soil which have 

 previously been enriched with manure, and the surface 

 is covered with straw until the young plants are a few 

 inches in height. Transplanting into new beds, which 

 are strewn with cow and goat manure, is the next opera- 



