MONTHLY. -if^ 
Vol. XIX. COLOMBO, JANUARY 1st, 1900. No. 7. 
NEW AND OLD PRODUCTS IN 
ZANZIBAR. 
(From Annual Report of the Agricultural 
Department of Zanzibar.) 
OCOA. — We have rised a quan- 
tity of young seedlings in the 
nursery, chiefly from seed ob- 
tained from Mr. il. Baty, Sey- 
chelles, in June. The seed 
arrived in capital condition, 
was at once germinates between 
blankets and planted in bam- 
boo pots. Some of the plants have been trans- 
planted out with scarcely one failure as the roots 
suffered no disturbance during the process, and 
with cacao this is most important. The Planta- 
tion which we set out in the beginning of the 
yetr from last year's seed suffered severely from 
the want of rain. Still many trees survived, 
while the gaps have been supplied. We have 
enough plants to bring up the total acreage under 
cacao to about 8 acres. The trees are being 
placed 14 feet apart. We have planted intermediate 
rows of bananas for temporary shade and we find 
these better than castor oil trees. The latter bear 
a scanty crop of leaves in the dry weather and 
have a straggly, unsightly growth. For permanent 
shade we have planted bois immortelle but these 
have also suffered. We are aho trying Melia azed- 
arach for permanent shade which promises well ; it 
has a healthy and rapid growth when young. There 
are I think several species of trees on the island 
suitable for shade as for instance Erythiina fomentoso 
a leguminous trees which sheds its seeds freely, 
and a species of Dalbergia also freely seeding and 
growing rapidly. We have as yet not proceeded far 
enough with the cultivation of cacao to form an 
opinion as to its suitability for this country. It 
evidently requires very careful attention when young 
and the trees cannot be set out and left to 
their own resources like for instance cloves or coco- 
nuts or even coffee. The tow cacao trees on Misa. 
Thackeray's shamba at Mbweni cropped abundantly 
last year, but this year the fruit shrivelled up when 
about the size of an areca-nut and one of the trees 
is now nearly dead. 
Kola. — A small plantation of about 3 acres of Kola 
was, in March, laid out in the clearing near tha 
police station. They survived the transplanting and 
the drought much better than the cacao, though 
they have grown very slowly. Some fresh seed 
planted in August and put out the October to supply 
the gaps has overtaken the old planting. Kolo, 
though it springs up rapidly in the nurseries, isevi. 
dently of slow growth. We placed them 20 feet apart 
shading them in the same way as the cacao. Kolai 
are subject to great vicissitudes in the London 
market, the price ranging from 2d to 6d or even 
lOd per lb. They readily fetch a high price if in 
small supply but fall to nothing if over produced. 
A good deal depends upon the condition in which 
they reach the market. 
Coffee. — The few Arabian coffee trees which wera 
put out last season have grown excellently and will 
be ready for toping in another year. Some mora 
seed has applied for from Nyassaland. Young plant* 
of Liberian are now coming in the nursery for ft 
plantation of 4J acres to be laid out this season. 
Tea. — We have decided to give this product a trial 
because of the healthy appearance of the tea bushel 
at Miss. Thakeray's shamba, Mbweni, planted by Sir 
John Kirk. These were pruned down in October and 
fiushed well, bearing enough new growth in two 
months to form a plucking surface and leaves six inchei, 
of pruning wood. Half a maundof Horagalla, Ceylon 
Assam Hybrid has been obtained and planted in tho 
new nursery at Mpapa and is growing well. Thia 
should give us enough plants for 6 acres, planting 
5 by 5, and leave a margin for supplies and distribution. 
I don't think that Zanzibar will ever enter tha 
lists as a tea producing country, even if low country 
varieties are found to flourish here, as the laboai 
supply is too small and uncertain. The pleatUol 
