SOUTHERN AFRICA. 153 
thrive here quite as well as in China ; but the common silk* 
worm is not in the colony. Several species of wild moths, 
however, spin their coccoons among the shrubby plants of 
Africa. Among these there is one species, nearly as large as 
the Atlas, which answers to the description of the Paphia of 
Fabricius, whose food is the leaves of the Protea Argenteay 
the witteboom or silver tree of the Dutch ; this worm might 
probably by cultivation be turned to some account. Dr. 
Koxburgh is of opinion that it is precisely the same insect 
which spins the strong silk known in India by the name of 
Tussach. The palma christi, from the seed of which is ex- 
pressed the castor oil, and the aloe, Avhose juice produces the 
well known drug of that name, are natives of the country, and 
are met with of spontaneous growth in the greatest plenty in. 
every part of the colony ; which is also the case with the cape 
olive, so like in habit and appearance to the cultivated plant 
of Europe, that there can be little doubt as to the success of 
the latter if once introduced. It is the more surprizing that 
the cultivated olive has not found its way hither, since no ve- 
getable oil, fit for culinary uses, is produced in the colony. 
The Sesamum Orie?itale, to which I gave a fair trial, promised 
to do well on moist soils, but could not be cultivated with suc- 
cess as an article of general produce. As green food for cattle, 
I had an opportunity of trying four species of millet of the 
genus Holcus, namely, the Sorgimm, the Saccharat us, the Spicatus, 
and Bicolor. All of these, except the spicatus, were cut down 
several times in the same season, afterwards grew to the height 
of six to ten feet, bore a plentiful crop of seed, sprung up 
afresh from the old stumps in the winter, furnishing most ex- 
cellent food for cows and horses throughout the whole year. 
A species of Indian Lucerne, the Mcdicago escuknta, I culti- 
VOL. II. X 
