528 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[February i, 1892, 
DRUGS FROM THE GERMAN COLONIES. 
The Pharmaceutische Zeitung publishes the first of 
what promises to be a series of exceedingly interest- 
ing Articles on the progress which has already been 
made in the onltivation of drugs and other Colonial 
prodace in the German colonies, and on the ont- 
look for the further snoceasful propagation of such 
aiticlea. Much of the information has been snppled 
by the Ost Afrikaniscbe Gresellschaft, which is the 
equivalent of our own British East Africa Company, 
and the territories of which adjoin the country nnder 
British influence on the African Bast Coast. Parti, 
oulsrs have also been given by Dr. Hindorf, who has 
been acting for some time as the German expert in 
matters of produce-growing in Bast Africa, but who 
has had to resign on account of failing health, and 
is now in Germany. 
TBADE INCBBASING. 
The unfavourable reaction upon the trade of German 
East Africa caused by the recent disturbances in 
the interior has been partly allayed ; the German 
- trading establishments in Tanga, Pangana, Bagamoj o, 
Dar-es'Salasm, Kilwa, and Lindi, are again receiving 
a considerable amount of trade from the interior, and 
it is expected that at the end of this year the exports 
from German East African will show a very large 
inorease. This, of course, it should be lunderstood 
is the official view of the German company, and it is 
permissible to assume that it is to some extent at 
least exaggerated. Whatever increase may occur in 
the exports from German East Africa will in the first 
place benefit British India trade, as Bombay remains, 
as it has long been, the chief ontlet for all goods 
from the -East African Coast. In fact, the German 
company in their last report, just published, lay stress 
upon tbia fact themselves, and appear to acknow- 
ledge that they can only advance the benefit of 
their territories by increasing the facilities of com- 
munication with Bombay. The principal plantation 
in German East Africa is that at Lewa, where the 
German East African Plantation Company are grow- 
ing tobacco. Lewa has a good soil and a sufEioiency 
of mnoing water, which secures the necessary amount 
of moisture all the year round. 
TOBACCO AND VANILLA. 
The first crop of regularly harvested tobacco from 
this plantation will be placed on the market this 
year. It will be large enough to give a fair teat of 
the oapabilities of this plantation. Another plantation 
company owns a similar tobacco-plantation at Amboni, 
aitoated abont one hour from Tanga. Amboni is a 
maoh-freqnented market place and very favourably 
Bitaated. An area of 42 acres has already been cleared 
here and is mostly under crops. The harvest prospects 
are described as exceedingly satisfactory. Quite close 
to Tanga, Mr. St. Paul lUaire has commenced a vanilla 
plantation. The possibility of the successful onltiva- 
tion of vanilla in a climate such as East Africa is 
shown by the excellent results which have been 
obtained in the Island of Rdunion. In German East 
Africa itself, at the French mission in Bagamoyo, 
vanilla has already been produced of which two shipments 
have thus far been sent to Europe. These two ship- 
ments, however, have not been sufficient to indicate 
with certainty the prospects of success of this 
exceedingly sensitive crop. The beans of the first ship- 
ment are described as being of excellent aroma, but 
too small in size ; those of the second, as having been 
Banbnrnt and deficient in aroma; It is hoped that bet- 
ter results will bo obtained in more sheltered positions. 
The requirements for a successful propagation of this 
plant are principally a constant, hot temperature, and 
the existence of abundant shade. 
COTTON, AND BOTANIC OAHDENS. 
There ia a cotton-plantation at Kikogwe, opposite 
' Pahgani, which is the property of the German East 
African Company ; it had to be abandoned when the 
lato disturbances broke out, but has now been taken 
ap again and considerably enlarged. It is under the 
management of an experienced Mexican planter, who 
holds out expectationn of a fine first crop in the near 
f ature. If this first effort ia successful, special attention 
will be paid to the propagation of various kinds of 
cotton in the colony, with the view of determining which 
is most suitable to the soil. It will be necessary to 
make the cotton-orop in the first place one for cultiva- 
tion by the natives rather than by European settlers. 
The French mission in Bagamoyo are also growing 
this useful plant. The German Government have 
given a considerable sum of money for the estab- 
lishment of an experimental garden near the gover- 
nor's house in Dar-es-Salaam. Governor von Soden 
is said to take quite an exceptional interest in the 
growth of economic products. But the principal 
plantation of all ia that of Derema, which was 
established in August of last year by Dr. Hindorf, 
and upon which the highest expectations of success 
are placed. It is situated at an average altitude of 
3,200 feet ; the soil is rich in humus and possesses 
the physical qualities of a good loam soil. The 
plantation has been established on a clearing in the 
virgin forest, and possesses an abundance of running 
water, which at the same time provides the power 
for working all the necessary machinery. There are 
about 280 natives in constant occupation on this estate. 
The principal cultures here consist of 
TEA, COFFEE, AND COCOA. 
Tea is to be cultivated on the highest part of the 
plantatioD, as the plants are believed to obtain a 
finer aroma there than in lower soil, and as, moreover, 
they are the hardiest of any cultivated. The seed for 
these tea-plants has been obtained fiom Ceylon, and 
consists of China as well as Assam varieties. The 
authorities do not appear to be very sanguine as to 
the success of tea-oiiltivation upon their plantations 
specially as they work at greater cost than the Ceylon 
planters. The coffee -seed has been obtained from 
Sumatra, where the coffee is less subject to attacks of 
the Remileia vastatrix than in Ceylon-* The coffee-planta- 
tions are next in altitude to the tea-plantaiions, The 
first crop cannot be expected until after four years. 
Coffee-growing in the present condition of the market 
could hardly fail to be satisfactory from a financial 
point of view, but it is doubtful whether the same 
favourable conditions will prevail later. The planting 
of cocoa has given rise to a great deal of trouble, as it 
was found that the seeds had lost their vitality npon 
arrival. Experiments have been made to import the 
cocoa-beans in cases between layers of powdered char- 
coal slightly pressed, and also to import seedlings in 
Wardian cases. The latter method has proved the 
more successful, although it is exceedingly expensive. 
Cocoa seed has also been obtained from Ceylon and 
much is expected from this cultivation, as the demand 
for the article is said to be greatly on the increase, and 
less labour is required for this crop than for coffee. 
Thid Hat exhausts the number of staple products. 
Among the articlas which it is intended to cultivate in 
the first place only in an experimental way is 
CINCHONA, 
for which a small garden is now being laid out ; but 
although it is intended to raise a few hundred trees, 
there is no idea at present of endeavouring to enter into 
serions competition upon the already overcrowded 
markets. A rather experimental cultivation is india- 
rubber. The plans of the Heva Braziliensis, which 
yields the so-called Para rubber, as well as of iManihot 
Glaziovii, from which the Ceara rubber is obtained, are 
now being raised- The rubber hitherto exported from 
East Africa, which last year ehippSd about 200 tons, is 
exclusively produced by the wild Landolphia varieties ; 
it realises a good price in the wholesale market, and is 
Superior to the West African rubber by reason of its 
less pronounced odour. But quite lately there has been 
a great deal of complaint of the increase of adultera- 
tion in this product. By Government order, however, 
issued last year, the trade in evidently adnlterated 
rubber has been prohibited nnder heavy penalties, 
FBUIT, BPICES, AND DRUGS. 
Fruit-plantationa are also being established, though, 
* As coffee abounds in the central Afrfcan fores ts, 
where leaf disease has never appeared, it was 
urely great mistake to send to Sumatra, where the 
disease certainly exists, for seed.— Ed, T, A. 
