296 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



nent water in those parts which have not been 

 planted than one finds in the Shire highlands, and 

 this is most promising. 



Lastly, there are the higher plateaux and moun- 

 tain summits such as the Stevenson Road and 

 Mlanje. The former, as I have tried to show, 

 are most promising so far as the climate is con- 

 cerned. The high plateaux of Mlanje (6,000 feet) 

 would be probably a disagreeably cold and moist 

 place to live in, but I cannot speak of it from 

 personal knowledge. 



Coffee land at the time of my visit was worth 

 from 3s. 6d. to 5s. an acre freehold, but I have 

 heard of £35 being given for a single acre at 

 Blantyre, and the price has probably greatly risen 

 since I was there. 



Still there are so many places in the Coffee zone, 

 that the amount of land suitable for coffee is 

 probably, for all practical purposes, unlimited, 

 provided native difficulties are avoided. 



I cannot help thinking, however, that too much 

 reliance is placed on one article ; the experience 

 of Ceylon planters should force every one to 

 cultivate one or two other things in case of the 

 appearance of the coffee disease. 



In the valley country below 3,000 feet, or on the 

 hills above 5,000 feet, there is no difficulty in 

 suggesting articles to replace coffee. 



The enormously rich alluvials below 3,000 feet 

 are probably capable of growing oil-palms, cocoanut- 



