THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Jan. 1, 1904. 
station, and the Italian Catholic Mission is about 
half a mile from me, other settlers there are none 
here at present, most of them being at Kiknyu and 
between there and Nairobi and Kyambu. I found the 
officials out here most courteous and ready to help one 
80 far as the existing land regulations will permit. 
Mr. A. E. Ornickshank, the Traffic Manager of the 
Railway, who has many old friends in Behar, is most 
obliging and ready to meet farmers by low rates 
of downward freight to Mombassa ; he very kindly 
sends me his copy of your /. P. G. to read, so I get 
your local news. 
MANY rnoSPECTS FOB MEN WITH SOME CAPITAL, 
This country I consider offers many prospects of 
success, but it may be a waiting game, and I would 
not advise any one to come here without at least £1 000 
of capital, and even then he must be prepared to 
go slowly and live cheaply and put up with a very 
lonely life for a time. A man might manage with 
less, but runs a risk of finding himself stranded. Land 
up to 1,000 acres can be bought outright at Es. 2 
per acre free hold, or a square mile of 640 acres 
can be taken up and payment spread over 16 years, and 
certain conditions are imposed in regard to cultivating 
a certain area annually which I think are unnecessary 
and unfair in the present state of the country before 
it is known what crops can be profitably grown. The 
settler has to compensate natives for any cultivated 
land on his holding. No one is making anything 
at present, and few can be paying their way, but 
everyone hopes in the fature. An Agricultural 
Department has just been formed, and Mr. A. Linton 
from Egypt appointed Director, and probably agri- 
cultural development will be considerably accelerated, 
GliAZING AND CATTLE RAISING, 
I have not touched on the question of sheep and 
cattle raising, as although there is a large area of 
pasture land it is not a matter I understand much 
about, also there are tribes of wandering Masai who herd 
cattle on these plain?, and Government haven't yet 
decided how they are going to prevent them from 
grazing the land a sheep farmer may take up. The 
Masai have held these pastures by force of arms in 
the past, and cannot understand any prohibition against 
grazing where they choose. The Masai are a warrior 
caste and have raided the neighbouring tribes for years. 
It is said they could go at a jogtrot in a large body up 
and down hills for 40 miles ia ihe day and raid some 
unsuspecting victims. 
In conclusion it is no use any thirsty man coming 
here. Whisky costs Rs, 10 a case freight from 
Mombasa, stores too are very expensive. Only a 
temperate man prepared to rough it and lead a lonely 
life for some time to come has any hope of sticking 
it here. I of ten think of the comfortable houses, well 
served meals and good attendance and jolly society 
that most people ecjoy in India, but the climate 
. here compensates me for a good deal. As you will 
gather from what I have written there is no certainty 
here. I haven't got any live-stock, started a few ani- 
mals, such as tame antelope, monkeys, etc., but the 
leopards carried them off. They seemed to think I have 
come here to keep them in delicacies. Black ants too 
are very bad— one little antelope was literally bitten to 
death in about an hour before any one noticed that 
it was Buffering:. I shall be very glad to answer any 
eDC[uirieaor to give any information. 
SOCIETY AND SPORT. 
I was almost forgetting to describe the social and 
sporting aspects of my neighbourhood. Nairobi ia 
becoming quite a large place and sports a hotel. There 
must be quite 20 ladies in Nairobi and a regiment of 
the King's African Rifles. It is also the head-quarters 
station o£ the Uganda Railway, and holds two race- 
meetings a year at least. Horseflesh is scarce. There 
e.re no indigenous ponies, although zebras abound on 
the plains. The British India steamers cany horses at 
a very moderate rate from Bombay or Kurrachee. 
fi9Ads ftre being made, but at present X have only bridle 
paths about me, and few ponies could climb down some 
of them, although I have plenty of space near my house 
for a polo ground or race-course — but somewhat undu- 
lating. As to sport, there are partridges, guinea fowl 
and duck, but not in laige numbers. Nn antelope 
shooting near me except on the plains at Nairobi. There 
are rhino and elephants near me, but my game license 
does not permit me to shoot them. Three forms of 
game license are issued. 
I. The sportsman's license — entitling a man tolsboot 
practically anything— intended for wealthy sportitig 
visitors— cost £50 for one year. 
II. The same license issued to gazetted Government 
officials for £10 for one year, 
III. The settlei'e license coats £10 for one year which 
I have got, it only entitles me to shoot antelope and is 
not much used, as I have no time to go on shootii^ 
jaunts. It a settler wants to shoot big game he most 
take out a i^oO license. I think that anyhow the rhino- 
ceroa hardly needs protection beyond the game reserve 
area ; he is a dangerous beast, more formidable than a 
lion to tackle, and attacks people withont provocation ; 
he is well described as a big ugly pig. I feel awfully 
fit here. 
Geobge Caine. 
NATURAL PRODUCTS OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. 
STAPLE PRODUCTS OP THE ARCHIPELAG O 
An account of the general history of the Philip- 
pine Islands, with some interesting information 
regarding the natural products and resources of 
the gronp, appears in the Manilla Times, from 
which we extract the following :— 
Staples in the order of importance are hemp 
tobacco, sugar, copra, coffee and rice. For home con 
sumption the economic classification is rice, coin 
bamboo zacate, cogon and sorghum. Rice is the chie 
food of all peoples in the Far East, and is the chie 
food ofiiatives who look upon the Philippines ss home 
When boiled withont salt, it is regaided as Ameri 
cans and Europeans regard bread, or, in other 
words, it is the staff of life in Pacific Oseanioa. 
Short crops usually entail suffering, for rice is 
the main-stay of life throughout the islands, and 
the general indolence of the tribes is such that 
they are never ready for the calamity of famine. 
Ri ce in the husk is called palay. There are 
a number of varietie.s, but the most cultivated are 
Mimis and Malagquit. On account of their glutin- 
ous qualities they make up into the finest bread 
and cakes on the Oriental markets. Corn, of 
American origin, is the second of the food pro- 
ducts. Ninety day corn, of the flint variety, alone 
is in common cultivation, but the Agricultural 
Bureau is making an effort to supplant it by 
advanced grades from American seed. Success is 
said to be assured. Bamboo ranks third in com- 
mercial importance. With nipa for thatching and 
rattan for whipping or tying together, the homei 
for the peasantry are built, and many that graoe 
the suburbs of all cities and towns. Moreover, 
bamboo has a succulent root that takes the place 
of asparagus for table use. 
Zacate, or grass, a forage for livestock, is cul- 
tivated with great care, especially near cities or 
large towns, for the returns are large. There are 
a number of varieties and several crops are 
grown each year. Cogon is also a forage plant. 
Where nipa does not grow it is used for thatch, 
ing cases and other buildings. Sorghum is a 
fodder plant, and in some localities it is employed 
in the manufacture of sugar and alcohol. Other 
grasses and fodder plants ^forrn the pastures of 
the mountains. 
