189 
many of these failed to germinate, but some did well, among others the 
tree 
Mr. Wood, of the Durban Botanical — when I called on him 
on my way home, was kind enough to put us up a large packet of seeds 
hese, however, I could not send on to British ie “ae sa pri to 
the new coffee-leaf disease regulations, but they ha useful 
in enabling me to make exchanges of seeds in Nngieis. 
NATIVE CEDAR. 
The timber of the new Mosi ege cedar ( 1 E eee ee 
from Mount Mlanje has been p oved to be of excellent t quality 
the finest yellow pine, and sx, worked. It has been large y a at 
the Residency, Zomba, und the greater part of the timber-work of ve 
new roof of that building i is composed of it, It is also commandin 
ready sale at Blantyre and on the coffee estates. I need scarcely Hie 
ihat I shall do all I can to encourage the planting of it in the Shiré 
collected from the Government rre on Mount Mlanje and nurseries 
of them kept up. Plants of Widdr gaen in the conifer avenues, at 
omba, are now 7 feet high in three years from seed, and Shaw every 
prospect of doing well at that elevation, 3 000 feet 
Prospects or BOTANICAL ENTERPRISE. 
As regards what I propose doing in the future towards en couraging 
agricultural enterprise in Nyasaland, I would first of all touch on the 
choice of a suitable site for botanieal and experimental gardens. 
I do not think a better could be found than the one now opened up and 
being experimented with at the Residency, Zomba, which me have already 
described. My reasons for arriving at this conelusion are 
1. The soil is good, it is well sheltered, and has a good exposure. 
2. The rainfall averages that of other districts on the plateau, and it 
is artificially well watered by means of an excellent system of 
irrigation. 
3. Both tropical and sub-tropical plants are reared with facility and 
grow 
4. Iti is ental HS now within two and a half days of the Lower 
ir three days of Lake Nyasa 
5. And lassi, but perhaps most important of all, it is a compara 
ec ied station for an European Superintendent " 
live 
In connexion with it, as an auxiliary garden, the fine sheltered fertile 
“ Palm Stream Valley,” eight miles distant from Zomba, on the 
d ene A perennial stream flows through this 
valley, along the banks of which fine specimens of the noble Raphia 
urish luxuriantly and is he little vale is 
xtreme hea t, severe drought, and its unhealthiness as well as the great 
e of locusts and other insect pests. 
