September i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
'59 
given a single cloud over a house or building, a suf- 
ficient number of points exposed on the i oof of the 
building will take away all the electriciiy from the 
cloud and entirely prevent discharge of any sort. 
There is no necessity for great spikes and tridents, 
but simply that there should be rows of small points 
along all the prominent ridges. ISuch an arrange- 
ment will effectually discharge, without the slightest 
flash or danger, any cloud which is simply hanging 
over Ihe protected building und quietly assimilating 
electricity iu order to got energy enough to spark. 
This plan of protection iB much the most satisfactory, 
as it prevents, except in very exceptional eases, the 
lightning flash occurring at ail. fa I ill sometimes it 
is hopeless to attempt to stop it. One cloud sparks 
into another which is already keeping the points at 
theii full work in order to exhaust it ; and crash it 
all comes at once. Points are no good under such 
circumstances : the electricity has no time to choose 
its route but simply crashes through the air, and it 
becomes a pure accident where it may strike. To 
carry sparks of this sort off it is necessary that the 
roof and indeed all the more projecting portions of 
the house should be connected up with a good stout 
iion tape, the end of which should be buried well 
into tlie ground and surrounded by a fair supply of 
coke and salt so as to ensure a certain amount of 
moisture Under such conditions a house is supposed 
to be, and practically is, perfectly safe. — Pioneer, 
August 7th. 
♦ 
VEGETABLE PRODUCTS IN CENTRAL 
AF1UCA. 
The following notes on vegetable products in 
Cential Alrioa are gathered from a lucent report fur- 
nished to the Foreign Oftice. Rubber, ii is ;tated, 
is now found in very small quantities, and, indeed, 
caii scarcely be cotibidt red worthy of mention. This 
is undoubtedly owing to the destructive method adop- 
ted by the natives ol extracting the juice. Under pro- 
per treatment rubber might have become a profitable 
export, At Mount Zuiula Laudolphia florida was 
found in large quantities, but the plant is now al- 
most exterminated. Rubber from this species . old in 
Africa last year for If. Sd. per pound. The culti- 
vation of rubber-yielding plant' by Europeans appears 
to be attracting attention, an., it is stated that a 
plant ot Eicus elastica that had been iutroduced into 
a private garden hud grown .-o well that il was in- 
tended to propagate it extensively. Indigo grows 
wild all along the tlopes of Mount Zjinbu. It forms 
a large bush, and is perennial, Its growth is luxu- 
riunt, and its cultivation and manufacture might pos- 
sibly be undertaken with advantage. 
Of the Kombo (Strophanthus), which has attracted 
so much attention in this country of late, it is 
stated that during last year over 1100 lb. were 
exported from tbo districts around Zomba, which 
realised in the London market per pound. The 
following description of the plant ami its uses is 
given : — " Strophanthus if. considered the most powei ful 
poibou the natives possess. It is found at a low 
level, and, us far as can be gathered from personal 
observation nnd native sources, is not to bo had on 
the high laud. The supplies luthurto obtained have 
been drawn from the right bank of the River Shire 
below the Mun ln-on It .puis. There is apparently 
more than uue species, or, at least variety, the 
distinguishing feature being a much small* r pod and 
fewer seeds. At present information rebitive to tlu-c 
Other varieties is scant. The Strophanthus is a strong 
(limbing pi.. nt, aid is uhvnys found in the vicinity 
of high tn i s mi which it supports itself. The stein 
Varus in diameter, but has an avorage i t a ti w 
inches. It lies 011 the ground in folds, the brunch* s 
supporting themselves ou the nearest trie- 'The 
young bm.cb.ts have a rod habit, and are in appear - 
auce not unlike Elder. The ftuit grows in pairs, and 
I. nt a peculiar appearance, very hhe .1 pa t 01 immense 
horns hanging to a slender twig. The fruit begins 
to ripen in July and lasts till iheeud <>t September. 
The nativi s are quite ignorant of i s age, or how old 
a plant may be before it bears fruit. Tue native 
method of prepaiiug the poison is very simple. They 
first deprive the seeds of their hairy appeuuages, and 
then pound them in a mortar until they have reduced 
them to pulp; a little water is then adueii. Tuis 
is done by using the bark of a tree containing a 
gummy substance, which hi lps to keep the poison 
on the arrow in the event ot its striking against a 
bone. The poison thus prepare! is spread upon the 
arrow, and allowed to dry. Game wounded by arrows 
poisoned with Strophanthus dies <| lickly ; the flesh 
is eaten without evil effect. The only precaution 
tukeu is to squeeze the juice of the Baobab bark 
in the wound made by the arrow, and this counteracts 
the evil effect of the poison. Buffalo and all smaller 
game are killed by this poison." 
Though fibres are much in use amongst the natives, 
it is said to be doubtful whether those of native 
preparatiou would command a profitable ba.e iu the 
home market. In the highlands of Zomba S inacviera 
lungiflora grows abundantly, and Likauga hore is ob- 
tained from it. At lower elevations, such as Lako 
Sbirwa ; and Livingstonia, another species, is found. 
The fibre which is obtained fiom the leaf might be 
used for coarse mauufacturos, but proper machinery 
would be required to perfectly crush the leaves and 
obtain the fibre. Tbo Buaze fibre (Seeuridaca 
lougipeduucuhitaj is used by the natives for stringing 
beads anil for making twine; and a fibre known 
as Ntingo, baid to be from a Tiliaceous plant, is 
much used by the fishermen on Lake Nyassa for 
making nets. 
On the subject of Coffee culture it is stated 
that, promising as it seemed to be two years 
ago, the result hitherto obtained has not realised 
the expectations of the planters, and though the 
quality of the Coffee grown at Zoruba has been 
established beyond doubt, still more experience is 
required before it can with certainty be Baid whether 
the cultivation of Coffee iu those districts of Aliica 
will be succe.-siul or not. The crops grown ast 
year, both in the Mandala and Zomba districts, were, 
to a great i-xtent rendered unsaleable by the berry be- 
coming diseased just before attaining maturity. The 
I same disease is said to be showing itse.f again this year, 
the cause of which is partly attributed to allowing the 
trees to bear too profusely. In Coffee culture the 
difficulty of obtaining labour prisents asirious obstacle. 
At the season when the planter requires a large supply 
of labour to keep down weeds and plant out new ground, 
the natives are all employed making their own gardens, 
and will not do other work 
Proprietors of small plantations may, with their 
few permanent hands, tide over the difficulty till workers 
can be obtained, hut the question of labour forms a 
serious consideration, and will tell greatly against 
any foreign enterprise on a large scale being success- 
fully carried out iu this country. Another drawback 
to the prospects of Cotfee pi, inters is the heavy 
transit freights to the cost. Until competition brings 
about a lower rate of charges, a serious barrier is 
opposed to the development of European enterprise 
in these territories. 
In favour of the cultivation of Coffee it may be stated, 
that land with suitable soil can be purchased cheaply. 
Though unlimited acreage of good boil may not be 
obtainable, still sufficiently large areas to justify 
planters in establishing p auditions can readily be 
got. At present about DO acres of land in the 
Zomba and Blaitire district* are uudi r t_\ Ifee 
cultivation, a considerable poitiuu being new plan alien 
formed this year. Sugar-cane grows well in Hie 
Zomba district, ami is rich in saccharine matter. It 
is successfully cultivated and manufacture. I l>v ,M,-r-. 
Buchanan Brothers, who l ave en etod a tugar-mill un 
their estate. At present it won I I not pay to export sugar 
from Zomba, and as yet it b.is only found a local 
market with the Europeans 111 these illMrictv I lie 
natives, thou, h v« rv fond of sugar, have not shown »ui 
detifi to puruhaM the manufactured article. 
