WILD PLANTS UTILISED IN KIKUYULAND 353 



holes hollowed out in them, each capable of holding some five 

 pints, in which the peeled and cut-up sugar-cane is pounded by 

 the women. The juice thus pressed out is left to ferment for 

 three days. 



Of wild plants turned to account by the Wakikuyu I may 

 mention the ricinus or castor-oil, from the fruit of which they 



POMBE MAKING IN KIKUYULAND, 



press out a brown oil used to smear the body in illness, and 

 the Eriosema erytlirocarpon, one of the leguminosas, which 

 yields a dark yellow dye.^ 



The Wakikuyu are not only zealous agriculturists, the}^ 

 also keep bees and breed cattle, sheep, poultry, and goats — 

 occasionally castrating the rams — which they are willing to 



' Great quantities of this plant, wliicli grows Avild in Eden and Harar, and is cul- 

 tivated in Southern Yemen under the name of war's, are exported every j'ear to India. 



VOL. I. A A 



