.Tune 1, 1903. J THF, TROPICAL AaRICULTURIST. 
S07 
w ith a knife. I think it ought to be kept in a friable 
condition, and also that it should be protected as much 
aa possible from the direct heating and desiccatitiE; in- 
fluence of the Bun during the hot weather, as wel as 
the heavy drip of the monsoon. I would therefore 
suggest lor immediate experiment, the scattering of 
lime over the surface of the mound, as has been done 
in certain cases at Anda Tode, and its protection 
from sun and '• wosh'' by a mulch of some sort. As 
to the forking up of the mound, I leave it to the ex- 
perience of practical planters. But I would most 
strongly insist on the great danger to delicate rootlets 
of any disturbance of the cake-like crust which I have 
80 often met with. When it is made friable there may 
be advantage in a little forking, but 1 am not at 
all sure that this would be ntcessary. 
I do not feel at liberty to make any definite (state- 
ment concerning the cause of the disease at present. 
That will come better after I have had the oppor- 
tunity of making a microscopic examination of the 
large series of specimens collected in spirits. But I 
would point out that in my short inspection of the 
plantations in the plains I have come across a defi- 
nite and serious disease of the rootlets of the collar. 
1 would, therefore, strongly urge that the idea of ob- 
taining fresh " seed '' from this source be abandoned 
until a clean bill of health may be given. Meantime 
would it be too much to ask that all who are interested 
in this matter should, when convenient, make a 
cursory examination of the rootlets of the mound ? 
They will then be able to justify or criticise my opinion 
that here are the chief feeders of the plant, and also 
they will be able to determine whether the disease 
of the plains is of common occurence in the hills. 
The diseased rootlets in the plains show very distinct 
nodules or swellings in their course. They are fre- 
quently twisted or swollen at their ends and on being 
cut open, show little round dots in both transverse 
and longitudinal sections. The uncovering of patch 
of mound roots in friable soil should not be injurious 
and if the disease is present, it should be visible all 
over the mound, but in hard crust, the individual 
rootlets will, with difficulty, be seen and smashed 
to pieces. 
I would also suggest that for the present fresh 
cuttings should not be taken from the mound, but 
from the tops of healthy vines, if these are found to 
strike as well. — Madras 3Iail 
PRODUCTS IN UGANDA. 
We take the following extracts from an oflicial 
report of Mr. J. Mahon, relating to the plantations 
made in the Botanic Gardens at Entebbe : — 
CACAO. 
The two cases of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao) sent out 
from Kew in August, 1901, have thriven exceptionally 
well. They arrived during the drought already ref- 
erred to and as there could be no thought o£ planting 
them out I had them all put in pots, and to shade 
them, had recourse to converting my tent into a green- 
house, and it suited the purpose admirably. Whilst 
there they were attacked by rats, which gnawed the 
stems of many quite close to the soil. Trapping 
several frightened the others av/ay eventually. It was 
not possilcile to plant out the Cacao till December, 1901. 
Their progress in nine months permanently planted 
out has been, and continues to be most satisfactory. 
I am not aware of any country where Cacao is grown 
commercially at 4,000 ft. altitude. . If we prove it 
can be done here, the experiment will be valuable. 
cori'EE. 
As an excellent Coffee is frequently found in this 
country in a wild state, it is perhaps only to be 
expected that introduced sorts should do well. The 
London Market Report, recently to hand, on a snmple 
of Is yasa plantation Coffee, grown and prepcred bore 
proves that tl,e country can produce Coffee of iirat rate 
quality. Some of the books dealing with this country 
call the indigenous Coffee a form of Coffee arabica. 
It is nothing of the kind. It is probably a distinct 
species, and certainly allied to the weil-markod large* 
leaved West Coast types. It responds moat readily to 
cultivaliou. and grows rapidly after the seedling stage 
is pnased. A congo species (Coffee robusta) bears a 
striking similarity to it. This latter grows splendidly 
her-e. Our plants are from seedlings given by Kew. 
One plant has just flowered. I believe Coffee robusta 
has a considerable market in parts of Europe. 
Maragogipe Coffee, a south American hybrid, aud 
a splendid cropper, is growing freely. I have a 
number of seedlings of Sierra Leona highland Coffee 
(Cofiea stenophylla), raised from Singapore seed. 
TEA. 
growa with but model ate rapidity just here. Our raiu 
fall is not gr«at enough. When we have a period of rains 
it flourishes nicely. If its cultivation were carried 
on here even on a moderate scale to meet some of the 
local demands, it would be necessary, I feel certain, to 
call in the aid of irrigation. Mr. Scott Elliot, the 
naturalist and traveller, seemed satisfied from his ex- 
plorations in the Euwenzori country that large areas 
there offered a fine field for cultivating Tea on a large 
scale. 
Vanilla is growing moderately well. Our forest belt 
on the lake shore suggests a climate where it ought 
to thrive apace, but doubtless our elevation accounts 
to a great extent for its tardiness. 
The fruits mentioned in the acoompanyjng lists are 
practically all well-known tropical sorts. We are 
pushing on their culture as fu3t as possible, for fruit 
is one of our scarcest commodities. Our plants are 
doing excellently, but the majority are not old enough 
to have reached the fruiting age yet. A number of 
Pine apple suckers I brought from Kew are now bear- 
ing their first crop of fruits ; they are choice dessert 
sorts grown in British gardens. Already a quantity of 
shoots from these have been distributed to local resi- 
dents and to some out-stations. This distribution will 
continue to be carried out whenever opportunities 
occur. 
TIMBER TREES. 
A great deal of attention is given to the intro- 
duction of timber trees. The fine Mlaoji Cedar of 
Nyasaland makes most satisfactory progress here. 
Specimens about three years old are now over 15 feet 
high. A large quantity of seeds of this tree was 
recently obtained from the Botanical and Forestry 
Department, Zomba, and distributed widely in 
Uganda. There is a considerable number of trees 
planted in the gardoms here and about the station. 
Establishing the useful and ornamental Eucalypti is 
practically impossible, owing to the depredations of 
'white ants' (termites). One avenue alone has been 
planted no fewer than four times by myself. Fine 
young trees from 15 to 20 feet high are riugbarked 
in a short time just below the surface and quickly 
die. A wide selection of species have been tried, 
but all seem equally vulnerable to the attacks of 
this insidious pest. We have tried all method? of 
fighting it, but with little or no result. It is rathor 
interesting to know that in one of the worst portions 
of the gardens for 'white ants' the common Guava 
thrives and is never attacked by the creatures. 
West Indian Mahogany, various Coniferse, palms, 
and several timber trees of the Straits Settlements, &c., 
are amongst recent introductions Mahogany will be 
extensively planted and distributed. A barrel of seeds 
(through Kew) from the Commissioner of Agriculture, 
(Barbados), is due to arrive presently. Some seedlings, 
of a few mouths old planted out lately are thriving well. 
A large selection of a species of Australian Acaoife 
useful aud ornamental, in addition to other trees 
from that country, have recently been sowQ. 
FIBRES, 
There is alreadv soma local enterprise iu the niitter 
of exporting native libres. S\.useviera (Bowstring 
llompl is abundant aud there appeir to be three or 
four species. A favourable report w.is received from 
l.Dudon on spociuions wo sent, and cue was valued 
at £-25 per ton. Raphi» fibre from the m.-igoifioent 
