472 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jan. 1. ir02. 
that he felt, that, coupled with the fact that they 
were in a country possessing a very liealchy 
climate and few inliabitants, they mif;lit some 
time become the seats of small European settle- 
ments. The northern part of Ankole was somewhat 
drier and less equatorial in climate. It had a 
more parched appearance, at any rate during the 
dry season, and it fell in attitude. Here f<nd there 
was a certain amount of big game, including 
buffalo, rhinoceroses, and eland? The people of 
Ankole, as was well known, consisted of a race 
of sturdy negroes — the Ba iro — and an aristocracy 
of Ba-hima, who were, as Speke, their original 
discoverer, guessed at once, obviously descended 
frorj a Gaia, Somali, or other Haniitic stock. As 
regarded features and complexion, one often saw 
men and women among tlie Ba-hima who were 
more like Egyptians than was the case with the 
Galas and the Somalis. But, strange to say, the 
hair of the head was much more woolly and negro- 
like tiian was the case with Galas and Somalis. 
He hail seen some men and women so light in 
complexion that he actually thought they were 
some of Emin Pasha's refugee Egyptians, until it 
was proved to him that they had been boru and 
bred in Ankole. These people, no doubt, were 
the origin of many of the legends of a white race 
dwelling in Equatorial Africa. Among other 
points they were ren-arkable for their domestic 
cattle, which had more or less straight backs, were 
•f large size, and had enormous horns. On the 
whole, the breed agreed remarkably closely with 
the long-horned cattle depicted in the Egyptian 
frescoes, and he believed that this race was the 
stock from which the long-horued South African 
eattle were derived 
THE RUWENZORI MOUNTAINS. 
The lecturer concluded with an account 
•t his exploration of the Ruwenzri range 
of snow mountains. He said that Ruwen- 
zori was still the most mysterious and 
least known mountain in Africa, and it was 
certainly, of all African mountains of his acquaint- 
ance, that which was the most constantly cloud- 
covered. He was personally eonvinced that the 
highest point of Kuwenzori was not under 20,000ft. 
in altitude, and that it would, therefore, be found 
to attain the greatest altitude on the continent of 
Africa. When, after the most arduous climb he 
had ever experienced, he reached his highest point 
on the flanks of the snow ransre — 14,800ft. — the 
mountain above him seemed a thing he had only 
begun to climb, and towered, so far as he could 
estimate, another 6,000ft. into the dark blue 
heavens. Permanent snow, however, lay as low 
asl3,O0Oft. To effect a complete and successful 
ascent of the highest points of Kuwenzori required 
as elaborate a preparation as the exploration of 
the Andes or the Himalayas. An enormous deal 
remained to be done in the exploration of this, the 
most important range of Africa. 
Sir Harry Johnston illustrated his lecture with a 
large number of beautiful lantern-slides made from 
photograpiis taken by himself, and created con- 
siderable anmsernent by reproducing by means of 
the phorK);,'rapli specimens of native singing. At 
the conclusion of the lecture. 
Sir H M Stanley, MrJES Moore and Dr. 
BowdlfM- Sliarpe addressed the meeting, which 
was broiif,'lit to a conclusion by a vote of thanks 
to 8ir H Johnston, proposed by the President, 
and heartily carried.— Loudon Times, Nov. 12. 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
'•Mr William Mackenzie, Ceylon tea commissioem 
was in Toronto a tew days last week,'' says the 
Canadian Orocer of Novembers "AffJt - 1 1 • 
the wholesale trade he rs maeh impresseTS^^ 
progress that was being made with'^lon g een/ 
In its comments on last week's tea sales, the Pro- 
duce Markets JCevuw says : " There is an improvement 
m .he demand for Indian teas, and pr^es Jo th« 
whole have shown a somewhat firmer^endencv A 
considerable quantity was again withdrawn from 
the pubho sales, as holders evidently were not dif 
posed to accept the lower prices established last leek 
tJol Z °f 'he withdrawals has, however' 
on ?L J° '"^^t <=*«es, at an advance 
on the bids made at the auctions, the market clos^nl 
\ stronger tendency. The lower qaam ea^ 
althonghmuch dearer than in the early part of the 
year, are about eqaal in value to those of the 
past few seasoas. and there appears to be 
SafneTA Present prices'^m be well 
maintained. A shortage in the season's nro 
duction ,a practically certain, the defioiencv 
week was fully recovered—^" a»i C Mail. Nov 22! 
M,.A^l°K^^^^" TO OOLONG! 
of the Tea and Coffee Journal," published in 
New York, describes the progress made since 1893 
Stages.' " ^"'^'^^ 'T^^ ia the 
" Formerly," he says, " it was exceptional to go 
into a grocery store and be able to buy this 
tea ; now every store keeps it. The jobbe/ until 
a year or two past was satisfied to carry a few 
chests for mixing, but now it is necessary for h^ 
business to have a fair selection of grades and 
quantmes to supply demand ; in conjunction S 
bulk eas. many wholesale grocers and jobbers 
have their own lead package tea in pounds and 
ha ves. winch meet steadily with increasing sales 
Why IS all this ? Because the teas have Kei 
and values There is something satisfying in a 
well brewed cup of Ceylon tea and it if rlakinj 
tea drinkers, although only one half the S 
O Jnni ?, ,?;f^"*'^ed. in comparison \ith 
Oolong and other China teas. Thus it is cheaoer 
of \lT,lT' ^f- ^'''^""S^ ""'^^ consumptS 
ninXV Z T'^^'^ ^'■^^'^^y estimating by 
number of pounds imported, it goes so mnr^h 
further that it demonstrates clearly ThZ more S 
IS being consumed."— Tea. * 
£5,0»0 REWARD. 
FOR DESTROYING THE PRICKLY PEAR. 
Brisbane, Nov 27. 
^L; -H"^ ''"''"''^'■y °f ^ method of eradi- 
cating the prickly pear, subject to certain cond 
'-^'^"^ tt^e cost Shalt not i: 
oLto per ^ore.~Adelazd, 
