Nov. 1, ]901.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
319 
THE FRUIT OF UGANDA. 
AN INTERESTING CHAT. 
We had a call yesterday from Mr. A 
Whyte, F Z.S., f.l.s,, director of thescientific 
department of the Uganda Administration, 
who is on his way Home on leave of absence. 
In the course of his visit, Mr. Whyte in- 
formed us that Uganda is a beautiful country. 
Its great drawback is its distance from the 
sea— 700 miles from the port of Mombassa. 
The railway from Mombassa, however, is 
being vigorously pushed on, and some 500 
miles have already been laid. Some very 
heavy cutings and embankments occur on 
the remainder of the route, but it is expected 
that the line will be finished about April of 
next year. Two new steamers are being 
built to add to the one at present plying 
on Lake Victoria Nyanza, which will take 
goods from the railhead to Entebbe, the pre- 
sent capital of Uganda, on the western shore 
of the lake, where a breakwater is being 
constructed. It is very probably that this 
will be the permanent capital. 
Mr. Whyte has opened up what he him- 
self already regards as beautiful botanical 
gardens, and believes that in course of time 
they will be amongst the finest gardens in 
the East. The climate of Uganda is almost 
perfect. The temperature seldom rises above 
80 degrees, or falls below 60 degrees. It is 
difficult to say what will not grow in Uganda, 
excepting European cereals, which have not 
proved satisfactory. There are two wet sea- 
sons in the year, and scarcely a month with- 
out rain all the year round. The rainfall is 
not very heavy, but is well distributed, and 
therefore of greater value. Uganda is a 
great rubber country, and Mr. Whyte in- 
forms us that he has seen more rubber- 
yielding plants in the forests of Uganda 
than in any other tropical forest. We may 
say that Mr. Whyte has had a large experi- 
ence in the interior, being formerly Director 
of the British Central Africa Administration. 
There is a dense native population. He de- 
scribes the Waganda as a very intelligent 
and interesting people, especially amongst 
the better classes. The lower orders have 
been rather chief -ridden, bvit are now deve- 
loping into good labourers. Some of the 
Waganda are remarkably well educated, 
and write a good hand. This is the result 
ot missionary enterprise, both Protestant and 
Roman Catholic, extending over a long period 
of years. It is a curious fact that right 
over the long distance of country between 
Uganda and the coast only barbarians are 
found. The development of the Waganda 
can only be attributed to the work of the 
missionaries ; indeed, the celebrated Mission- 
ary Mackay, when he desired to leave the 
country, was practically made a prisoner by 
them, so loth were they to lose him. Trade 
is being gradually opened up by the Banyans, 
who are beginning to arrive in the country, 
and it is well-known that these men are 
expert traders.— ^a^aZ Mercury^ Aug. 23, 
OUR PEARL OYSTERS AND THE 
EXPECTED EXPERT. 
SPECIMENS TO BE SENT TO PROFESSOR 
HERDMAN. 
Professor Herdman who is expected in 
January next year to make personal investi- 
gation of our pearl banks is to be supplied 
with a few specimens of the oysters before- 
hand. A representative of this paper learnt 
from Captain Donnan today that these speci- 
mens will be forwarded shortly, and was also 
informed that this fact will in no wise affect 
the projected visit of Professor Herdman. 
It is likely that Captain Donnan will visit 
the pearl banks shortly to secure these speci- 
mens but the date of his departure has not 
been settled yet. The actual reason for the 
sending of these specimens could not be 
ascertained. 
♦ — 
CACAO PLANTS FROM THE DUTCH 
EAST INDIES. 
The following regulations made by the Gover- 
nor, with the advice of the Executive Council, are 
published for general information : — 
Regulations under Section 3 of " The Insect 
Pest and Quarantine Ordinayice." 
1. The importation of Cacao "plants" from any 
part of the Dutch East Indian Colonies is pro- 
hibited. 
2. The Principal Collector of Customs shall 
destroy all Cacao "plants" imported from any 
part of the Dutch East Indian Colonies and no 
compensation shall be payable in consequence of 
such destruction. — Gazette. 
A MOSQUITO NET FOR THE TROPICS. 
Mr Carmody, in the American " Journal of 
Tropical Medicine," has sketched a mosquito neb 
for travellers in hot countries. It is attachable 
to the ordinary umbrella or sunshade, and serves 
the double purpose of keeping off the sun by day 
and the insects by night. — Globe, Sept. 13. 
USEFUL NOTES ON EVERYDAY TOPIC. 
DIPHTHERIA AND HORSES. 
In a leading Bacteriological Magazine, Dr. L. Cob- 
bet puts on to horses some qnilt with relation to 
the spread of diphtheria. He shows that horses are 
peculiarly liable to this disease. In 9 oat of 13 
animals he found the diptherial bacillus and he infers 
from his observations that the horses acquire diph- 
theria naturally and do not in many cases suffer 
any serious inconvenience from it. 
GRAFTING. 
A recent investigation of the physiological and 
practical sides of grafting by Dr. S. Daniel lead 
him to lay down the following conditions for success- 
ful grafting:—!. The maintenance of the adhesion 
of the plants. 2. The maintenance of the vitality 
of the scion and stock. 3. A suitable temperature 
neither too hiesh or too low. 4. The maintenanca 
of the life of the graft up to a definite level. 5. 
The possibility of the graft to get back the moistnra 
lost in cutting. 6. The necessity of never leaving, 
after the operation, the level of the graft under water. 
MALARIAL MOSQUITOS. 
Messrs. Grassi & Noe have discovered that the filarial 
or malarial organism passes from the mosquito to 
man only in the act of biting. They esplitin the 
