11 



man and beast. It is extensively planted, and has now quite become a 

 native dish. Curiously enough, although the original plants came from 

 Brazil, the Bourbon root is not poisonous, horses and cattle can eat it 

 raw without harm. The wild manioc of* Brazil is always poisonous, and 

 generally more so than the cultivated plant. But the "manioc doux" 

 is not poisonous, and can be eaten without any preparation of the poi- 

 sonous or bitter manioc (manioc amas). There are many varieties, 

 which are more robust and productive than the others, and there is 

 every degree of poison, from very little to much. Cattle, however, have 

 been known to die after eating manioc, but their death is never attribu- 

 ted to the direct effect of poison, but to indigestion, work too soon after 

 feeding, but such cases are very rare. 



Large quantities of rum are also made from the sugar residue, but 

 almost the whole profit, so far as the distillers are concerned, is con- 

 sumed in paying the Government excise dues. 



Tentative efforts to produce liqueurs from native fruits; such as 

 the letchi, vanilla, bibasse, etc., have also been made, but as yet the 

 output is on a small scale. 



Perfumes of various sorts, geranium, patchouli, vetyver, ylang 

 ylang, are also made; they are good in quality, but difficult to place on 

 the European market in competition with known brands, but they all 

 produce more or less profit, and the process is so simple that many 

 ladies carry on the opperations in their kitchens as an aid to household 

 expenses. 



As regards textiles many fibrous plants are to be found in the 

 colony, and no doubt ramie and others would do well here but the 

 difficulties of treatinor fibres, and of finding a profitable market for the 

 product have almost put an end to these industries. 



The only remaining one is practically the making of coarse bags 

 for sugar from the vacoa tree [Pandanus, Screw Pine.] In Mauritius 

 the vacoa bags are used as a first packing for high-class sugar with a 

 gunny bag from India outside. For low sugar vacoa bags only are 

 used. A small business however, is done in making ladies' hats and 

 fancy objects in vetyver [Khus khus grass] and other fibres, but purely 

 as a domestic occupation. 



Tea also grows well in Reunion, but there is no local consumption 

 for it, and market prices are now so low that it would appear to be a 

 profitless enterprise to plant it to a large extent. The latter remark 

 applies equally to rice. 



In the foregoing remarks the nature of agricultural pursuits in 

 Reunion is fairly summed up. The main industry will be seen to be 

 sugar, coffee, and vanilla and tapioca forming the only serious aids to 

 counteract low prices and losses on sugar. But the fact must not be 

 overlooked that large Indian corn, bean, and pea crops are grown upon 

 all estates, and that market garden produce is largely cropped either for 

 family consumption, for supply to neighbouring towns, or for export to 

 Mauritius and Madagascar. With the exception of flour, beef, and rice, 

 all of which are imported, a well-managed Reunion estate is practically 

 rself-snpporting as regards men and beasts and fuel for the mill, for no 



